Thunder Chasing The Wind
by katdvs
Summary: Lucas Friar moved back to Texas at 17, now he's running for Mayor of Rosewood Springs so best friend Zay and little sister Gigi decide he needs a little help from a political consultant. Riley Matthews found her calling, she found a fiancé, but she never expected to find herself here, of all places.
1. -the moon that moves your tides-

**Author Note: Yay a new fanfic for my Rucas loving friends.  
This fic is rated M, for adult situations such as drinking, language, and activities.**

* * *

 **-the moon that moves your tides-**

The hot water pelted down on his body, the steam surrounded him as washed away the morning grime from his house calls and work on the ranch. He couldn't help but think about his most recent trip to Dallas, the lipstick marks that had been left on his body after a night of passion. The latest blonde he added to his collection of memories had clawed his body, treated him like a piece of meat.

He had no problem with that, if all she wanted was a physical release and none of the commitment stuff that went with it he was down. Lucas Friar had no need for a relationship, he hadn't been in once since he was seventeen years old, and then they had never gotten truly physical. Maybe if he'd stayed in New York and hadn't moved back to Texas he probably would've married her, they'd probably have a kid or two by now, that wasn't the cards he'd been dealt.

That was just the fantasy of a school boy in love.

Lucas was no school boy, at least he hadn't been for years.

He was the most popular veterinarian in the county, though he knew at least part of it had to do with him being good looking and single, giving plenty of ladies the idea that he was free for the taking.

He wasn't.

Lucas had no desire to be in a full-on relationship. He didn't mind having a one night stand here and there, but in college he realized not to get messy at home. Too many voices whispering, too many old men passing stories down at the McDonalds where they would meet for coffee every morning.

The women in town tried, at least once a week he would arrive at his office to a platter of sweets from someone looking to become Mrs. Friar.

The only Mrs. Friar he intended to have in his life was his mother, and she was off in London with his father.

He turned off the water, wrapped the baby blue towel around his waist before stepping out of the shower, wiping down the mirror, studying his reflection before smearing on the shaving cream and making his beard disappear.

He had to be baby face Friar today, as Zay had said it would be one less thing for the political consultant they were meeting with in a few hours to nitpick about. He had to look like a man who wanted to be the Mayor of his small town, with some ideas towards future service, he couldn't look like a cad that would sneak off every so often on the weekend to fuck a woman whose name he couldn't recall in a hotel room in Dallas.

He knew what Zay was really saying, be the man you would've been for Riley, not the jackass you are right now.

Riley.

Riley Matthews, his first and honestly only girlfriend.

Lucas had lots of one night stands, short hookups that might last a week at the most if he was on a vacation.

No one who got a hold of his heart.

No one he ever considered for more than a few hours.

Did that make him an asshole? Maybe he'd been called a list of awful names like bastard, cocksucker, dick-week, and more colorful ones than he cared to remember when he'd broken some woman's illusion of what was going on with them. He tried to always be upfront with them about whatever happened between them being a short little stop on the road of life.

He gripped the counter top, trying to think about anything, anyone other than Riley as his body reacted to just thinking her name.

Those brown eyes of hers that always drew him in, the pouty lips he loved to make smile, the finger tips that had cautiously explore his young body, never going south.

He could almost feel her electric touch. Part of him still wanted her, needed her. He could picture it clearly in his mind, her in front of him, removing her towel after a shower, getting lost in her body for hours, days, weeks, no if he had her, she wouldn't be a one night stand.

She would be it.

She would be his wife.

That terrified him.

He was seventeen years old the last time he saw her.

Why did he still think of her like this?

Why was his body still swelling at the memory, fantasy, whatever it was of her in the summer sun eating a strawberry, the wind blowing in her hair, her eyes casting down playfully before he would kiss her.

He dropped his towel hoping back into the shower, blasting the water on cold.

Each pinprick stimulated his racing heartbeat and in his mind he was still kissing her, pushing her up against the shower wall, wondering what it would feel like to explore her folds, to knead her breasts, to suckle and taste every inch of her.

Lucas leaned back against the shower wall, his hand stroking his throbbing manhood as his fantasies took over.

This was a sick torture that deep down he must've enjoyed or he wouldn't let it happen as often as it did.

Her name escaped his lips as he released.

He turned the water off as he leaned against the shower wall.

How long had it been? How long would this go on? Why did he still crave her sweet, innocent lips against his? Why did he want more? Why did he have this insatiable need to discover what she sounded like when he touched her, or how her body would react.

A shiver slipped through his body before he grabbed another towel wrapping it around his body, hoping the warm summer air from the open window would remove the torturous chill that coated his body and revive his senses.

As he looked at his reflection he slapped his face, "Okay Friar, no more of that. No more fantasies about her. She's probably married, knocked up, and absolutely still gorgeous, more so probably."

"Lucas what are you doing in their man?" His best friends voice called out from the other side of the door.

"Just finishing up Zay, I'll be out in a minute."

"Well hurry up, this consultant is going to be here in like half an hour."

Lucas rolled his eyes, this all seemed so ridiculous to him. Why did they need a consultant? Why couldn't he just be himself, speak from the heart, hadn't that worked for Senator Eric Matthews when they were younger?

* * *

Riley whipped her sunglasses from her tote, pushing them on as she made her way across the parking lot to her the convertible she had rented. Whenever she was somewhere hot and sunny she made sure to rent one. After she popped the trunk and put her bags in she pulled her phone out to check her messages, playing the one from her business partner first, _"Hey Riley, I emailed you the address. You're meeting with Isaiah and he'll bring you up to date on everything. I know this is a small-town campaign, but this candidate very much needs the Riley Matthews touch, or should I say Riley Lawrence. You'll have the dossier on our client later today, oh and you'll be staying at his home. Like I said he needs your magic."_

She rolled her eyes at Isadora's message, it was times like this she wished someone else had discovered a passion for political polling to go along with Riley's gift of helping people bring out their confidence and get their message across effectively.

As she climbed into the driver seat she realized that her skirt was probably too short to be meeting a small town mayoral candidate, but all her others in her suitcase needed to be washed. She hoped that whoever this new client was they weren't judgmental over her fashion choices.

She pulled the address up from the email importing it into her navigation app before making it to the road. When she got off the highway she felt a knot in her stomach as she realized exactly where she was and where she was going as she pulled off on the exit for Rosewood Springs. She slowed down pulling to the side of the road, taking a minute to collect herself.

She could do this, she could hang around Rosewood Springs for a few weeks, maybe a couple of months. She twisted her engagement ring around her finger trying to ignore the itch she was feeling.

That didn't mean she would have to see Lucas, no he probably moved to a city by now, running a practice and married to one of the many blonde girls she'd seen draped all over him on Instagram when they were in high school.

She closed her eyes feeling that rush of emotions, the rush of memories.

Lucas.

Lucas Friar.

How long had it been that he could still bring this on?

She slipped her ring on and off several times trying to get herself to calm down and focus before if slipped from her fingers all together, falling under her seat.

"Shit" she muttered leaning back, covering her face in her hands. It could wait, what was the rush, she didn't need to flaunt her future marriage in front of a client or anyone. She could look for it later when she wasn't wearing a skirt that would most likely reveal her lace clad butt cheeks. No, she would need to change into her yoga pants first.

She ran her hands through her chestnut hair before putting the top down, the sun was shining, the skies were clear and she had a new client waiting to meet her.

She pulled out back onto the road, ignoring the butterflies over a slim possibility, no she had to focus on getting this ranger ready to get his message across so that he could help the people of his community.

Riley followed the navigation app directions, feeling her stomach drop as she pulled into the long dirt driveway, watching the dust in her rearview mirror as she navigated her way up to the house.

She parked behind the two pick-up trucks and the SUV. She checked her hair in the mirror, windswept of course and adjusted it with her fingers just a little to get it in place.

As she stepped out of the car she heard the screen door slammed shut, and she wished her skirt wasn't as short as it was, why did she not think to wear her slacks? She grabbed her tote and stopped in her tracks when she saw who was on the porch waiting for her.

* * *

Time stopped, it had to have.

Why wasn't he breathing?

Why wasn't anyone moving?

Why was no one speaking?

Lucas had seen the convertible coming up the driveway from his bedroom window as he threw his blue plaid shirt on over his white V-neck t-shirt. He could tell that whoever was driving was female, and when they parked he and Zay went out to greet her, unsure if he was really going to take her advice.

He smirked when he saw her high heeled foot slip out of the car, her legs that went on for days, and he wasn't going to lie he was already envisioning spreading them—he was sure he could fantasize about her. Not that he would do that, not with a brunette, he never hooked up with brunettes.

Her hair was long, wavy, carefree from driving with the top down, naturally sun kissed. He could see she had kissable, pout lips that probably knew just how to drive a man wild.

Her skirt was short as she tugged it down before she removed her sunglasses and stopped in her tracks.

Those brown eyes.

Lucas' mouth dropped.

His stomach sank.

His heart twisted.

His Brain felt like it was floating.

No.

No.

What was she doing here?

They were send in someone named R. Lawrence.

Was that her married name?

He couldn't move.

His feet would not move forward. Any and all manners his parents, grandparents, Riley herself had instilled in him were gone.

Was no one speaking, were they all stunned and silent?

"Zay it's good to see you" her voice was bubbly, song like the birds first thing in the morning, God he'd missed her voice.

She moved up the stairs, "Lucas is that you?"

"Yeah" He stuttered, he had forgotten everything and nothing.

She looked to them each, "So, who's running for mayor, I can't imagine either of you need my help."

"Riley, Riley, Riley" Zay put an arm around her when she reached the top of the porch, "My man Lucas here is in desperate need of your help."

Riley's eyes wandered over Lucas, he could feel her stare, God he'd missed that sensation. Oh crap he needed her to leave, she couldn't be here, she couldn't help him, and she sure as hell couldn't stay in his house. "Is this how you always dress?"

She studied him, "Are you building a fence or are you running for a government position?"

He couldn't help but notice she blinked more than he remembered, maybe he did look awful. But this wasn't that different then what he'd worn in New York, "Well today, I'm meeting with you Mrs. Lawrence, and then yeah I'm repairing a fence down on the south-east end of the property."

"It's still Matthews actually," she put her sunglasses in her bag, "I use Lawrence professionally so that people don't connect me with my Uncle Eric, they get a little weird when they realize that he's the Speaker of the House."

Lucas nodded, "Um please come in, I think we have lemonade or sweet tea."

"Water would be nice" Riley stepped into the house, he'd renovated it, she didn't mention the new bay window in the living room, as she studied the way the furniture was arranged to face the fireplace where the television was now mounted.

"I'll go get us some waters." Lucas ducked into the kitchen, he leaned against the refrigerator for a moment, trying to wonder what kind of torture he was being sent. Of all the women in the world who could be a political consultant he was sent Riley Matthews. He could only hope and pray that she would realize he didn't need her and get out of Texas as soon as possible.

One problem.

Lucas did need Riley.

He knew it.

He'd felt it for so long.

She was the missing piece of him.

No matter what he did to pretend that void didn't exist, it did.


	2. -basics of you and me-

_**Author Note: You guys are all seriously the best. xoxo**_

* * *

 **-basics of you and me-**

Riley knew her hands were shaking, she could feel her entire body shaking. As soon as she'd seen him, realized it was him, her heart had been pounding, her throat dry.

She thought she _might_ run into him here in Rosewood Springs, but him as the client. She was going to have to figure out what his issue was and get the hell out of dodge as soon as possible.

She was thankful Lucas had gone into the kitchen. How was she holding herself together?

Isadora was a dead woman for this, though from the smirk that Zay was trying to keep off his face, she had a feeling he knew she was the one coming, "So tell me the truth Zay, did you know I was the coming?"

He shrugged as he walked around the living room, "I knew it was a possibility when I spoke with Smackle about getting someone to help Lucas."

Riley crossed her arms over her chest glaring at him, "Listen, I don't think I can help him. If he really wants this, he knows what to do. I don't know why you need me, but if you really think he needs help I'll give you a list of names and numbers you can call."

"He needs _you_ Riley" Zay insisted, "You are the only one who can get through to him and get actual results. If you're not up to the challenge, I guess that's okay."

"I'm up to the challenge." Riley felt herself straighten up, how dare Zay suggest she wasn't up for the challenge.

Zay smiled, "Good," He had a plan, and really at the end of the day it didn't matter to him if Lucas became the Mayor of Rosewood Springs or not.

"What's good?" Lucas came in with the waters on a tray he'd found stashed in the cabinets, one of these days he was really going to have to sort through all the hand-me-downs he'd gotten from his grandparents and parents.

"Riley can help you." Zay explained as he took a glass of water handing it to her before taking one for himself, "She's the best between her and Smackle they've had a success rate of what 98%?"

"What's the 2%?" Lucas took a water of his own before setting the tray down on the coffee table.

Riley took a long sip, "We had a client, who in the end didn't really want to be the Mayor of his small town. He felt pressure from other people to run and his heart wasn't in it. I can help people, but if their heart isn't in it, the message will never get across to those who need it. It's empty and hallow."

Lucas gulped while Riley looked down at her water glass afraid to get lost in his green eyes, that charming smile, the pure essence of manhood he radiated. She'd been lost in it before, but now she wouldn't, couldn't allow herself to get lost in it again.

"So, Lucas, I have to ask, do you really want to be the Mayor of Rosewood Springs?"

"I do" he took a sip of his water to keep from babbling, he hadn't been sure until this moment but yes, he wanted to be the Mayor. He wanted to help his community any way that he could.

"Okay great," Riley put her tote down as she studied the living room, "Have you filed your paperwork to declare your run yet?"

"It's due on Friday" Zay explained as he stood between them, feeling the tension in the air, the way neither seemed to want to look at the other, but still did. "No one besides the three of us, and well, Gigi knows that Lucas is going to run."

"Gigi would be your wife?" Riley gripped the glass, wondering how cruel fate would be to her, to bring her here, to him, and then have to live with him and his wife.

"Sister" Lucas put his water glass down, "She's eighteen now."

Riley blinked, "She goes by Gigi now?"

"Yeah, she'll be home from class soon." Lucas glanced at the clock, 'Dad got transferred to London a few years ago, but Gigi begged to stay here since it was her senior year and now she's in college in Austin, so she lives with us."

She nodded, "That's very kind of you" She couldn't believe that's what she said, "I can't believe Georgianna is that old already, I remember helping you change her diapers when we would babysit her."

"You did most of the work, I cringed and gagged." Lucas chuckled, "Um, I should um get to that fence before the day gets away from me. Zay could you show Riley to the guestroom."

"Sure thing" Zay watched as Lucas escaped before he turned to see Riley taking a deep breath as if the air had just returned to the room. "Gigi is going to be thrilled to have you here."

"What is this living arrangement Zay?" Riley picked her tote up, "I don't normally live _with_ the client."

"Small town charm Cotton Candy Face, people would talk if we had a guest staying in a hotel." Zay walked over to the staircase in the center of the home, "I came down here during college, I worked the ranch with Lucas and went to school. Now I own the best bar in town, The Wild Z, and yeah I still live here because Lucas needs back up."

"With Gigi?" Riley followed him up the stairs, pausing at a photograph of Lucas' High School Graduation, "Do you ever wonder if he missed us on this day, if he thought of us?"

"I know he did." Zay's voice was filled with a certainty as he stood at the top of the stairs, "The bathroom is right there, Gigi showers in the morning, and they're long. I shower when I get home, but that's at like three in the morning."

"When does Lucas shower?" Had she just asked that?

Zay chuckled, "Mornings, in the master bathroom. You'll share this one with me and Gigi though."

Riley bit her lip as she looked around at the doors, "So what rooms are what?"

"I'm here" he pointed to the open door revealing a blue room with a desk as soon as you entered. "Gigi is here" the door was covered in cutouts of the hottest young stars, some of who Riley had recently met at a political fundraiser in California, "Lucas is across from my room, and you my love are here."

Riley nodded as he opened the door, the walls were a pale purple flower wallpaper, "Very girly for a guestroom in a man's house." She pointed out.

"Gigi set it up, told Lucas the house needed a little femininity."

"That makes sense." Riley stepped in dropping her tote on the bed, "How's the Wi-Fi here?"

"Good, strong, Lucas does a lot of work from home, plus Gigi streams basically everything."

"I'm going to need the password of course, and tonight we need to discuss if there is anything scandalous in Lucas' past that could hinder his chances."

"Okay, you mean like give his social media a scrub before his opponent knows he's running?"

"Something like that." Riley flashed back to that night in high school, the night she couldn't do it anymore and unfollowed Lucas after he'd moved back to Texas. Every single picture on his Instagram had him surrounded by girls, kissing his cheeks, looking far too close for comfort.

"Dinner will be at six, oh and there should be a card or something with the Wi-Fi password on the dresser." Zay pointed out, "I'll see you later Riley."

"Bye Zay" She watched him leave before she went to the window, she could see Lucas loading supplies into one of the trucks. Had she ever really known him? Was the Lucas she'd known in New York a mirage?

* * *

Lucas took the bandana from his back pocket and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He looked at the fence thankful it had been quick to fix, or maybe it was just him channeling the energy over seeing Riley again.

As he packed up his supplies he couldn't get the memory of her stepping out of the car out of his mind. Her skirt was short, he'd never seen her in anything that short before, and all it was doing was creating more fantasies about her. Hadn't she starred in every damn fantasy he'd had in all these years?

Even after all this time he didn't believe in coincidences, things happened for a reason. Riley being the one hired to help him with his campaign happened for a reason. Whatever it may be, though his loins had their own thoughts on what it could be.

As he drove the truck around the property stopping to check the fences he remembered the last night they spent together in New York. He'd snuck out of the apartment, his room packed up, the life he'd thought had settled now collected in boxes.

He'd gone to her room, finding her sitting in the window crying. He slipped in, holding her, they didn't speak as he kissed her tears away. "I love you Riley, you always have my heart. No one is ever going to replace you." He'd told her, feeling her arms wrap around him, holding him as if he were her life force.

How had they gone from that, to this, nothingness?

The million-dollar question he thought as he parked the truck and started to unload the supplies to be put away.

Riley saw the truck was back when she'd come out after realizing most of her clothes needed to be washed, and Zay helped her run the machines. Lucas had to be in the barn busy somewhere, so even with her short skirt still on now seemed as good of a time as any to try and find her engagement ring.

She searched around, knowing it must've gone under the seat as she tried to position herself so that her bottom wasn't up in the air but she couldn't focus on that as she stretched her arm finding the ring and pulling it out.

"Whoa" his voice was louder than in intended, he hadn't meant to say anything. Her ass was in the air, tight against the lace of her underwear. None of the thoughts he was having were pure, they were dirty, some of the dirtiest he might've ever had. Hell, he was half tempted to throw her over his shoulder right this moment and take her to his bedroom, never to leave it.

Riley slowly straightened her body before she turned to him, "Sorry, I just um, had to get this." She could look at him, but she did, she saw it in his eyes, she couldn't handle that animalistic need that was vibrating from him.

His eyes dropped from her lips to the item she was slipping on her finger, "What's that?"

She looked down at the ring, as if she'd forgotten what it was, why did it look so wrong on her finger, like it didn't belong on her. "I'm engaged, haven't set a date or anything. I was going to do some wedding planning before, well before this job came up."

The wind had been knocked out of him, his heart was in his feet, he had to be gasping for air, right? No, he was just blinking at her, silent, his lips were dry before he licked them, realizing this was real, "Congratulations, I'm sure whoever he is, is a lucky guy, wonderful man, deserving." All the things Lucas apparently wasn't.

Riley couldn't help but pick up the signals that all he wanted to do right now was go and kick a tree. She couldn't blame him, finding out your ex-girlfriend is engaged couldn't be easy. "Actually, um you know him."

His mind raced, "Yogi?"

"I don't think Darby would like it if I was engaged to her husband." Riley giggled nervously, "It's not Charlie."

"Who then?"

"You remember Dave?"

Lucas watched the way she twisted the ring as if it was the most uncomfortable item in the world. "Corn Chip Dave?"

"Yeah" she shrugged, "His law firm is in the same building as my office, we kept running into each other, eventually got drinks, and started dating."

"That's um, yeah that's great Riley." Every single part of him felt deflated.

"I should go, get my laundry." She moved past him, trying to ignore the stirring she felt, the need to hug him, promise him it would be okay. It wasn't like he really cared anyways if he ever had at all.

He couldn't help but watch as she went up the steps into his house, he couldn't help but think of how right that looked. Her casually going through the door. She had only been here a couple of hours, and already he was having thoughts he shouldn't be having, and hadn't since he moved back to Texas.

No that was a lie. He'd always had those thoughts concerning Riley.

He was just able to ignore them when she wasn't around.

Dave, the kid obsessed with corn chips was the man she was going to marry.

What the fuck?

This just didn't seem fair.

But why should it be fair, this was life after all.


	3. -rather hurt than feel nothing at all-

**-rather hurt than feel nothing at all-**

Riley tried to ignore the buzz of energy she felt through her body. She quickly changed into a pair of jeans and t-shirt before folding her laundry. Zay knew she was engaged, why hadn't he mentioned it to Lucas?

Because they obviously didn't talk about her.

"You know they said my favorite babysitter was going to be staying with us, I didn't believe them." Gigi Friar stood in the doorway watching Riley, she hadn't gotten the same height that Lucas had, and her hair was dark as were her eyes.

Riley spun around, "Georgie?"

"No one has called me that in years" she giggled, "I'm all grown up."

Riley studied the young woman, "This is going to take some getting used to." She told her before giving her a hug, "Gosh you really are all grown up. Not the little girl begging me to do your hair just like mine."

"Well I never really have figured out how to do my hair in more than a ponytail or simple braid, so I might have to ask for help." Gigi sat on the bed, watching the woman she knew her brother had loved unlike any other, "So, you're here to help my brother become Mayor huh?"

"If I can, we'll see" Riley put the last of her clothes in the dresser before stashing her suitcase in the closet, "If I don't think I can help Lucas than I'll find someone who can."

"Riley, he needs you." Gigi hoped the older woman understood what she meant.

She twisted her ring trying to ignore the itching sensation she felt as she looked at Gigi "Lucas doesn't need me, he just needs someone to probably scrub his social media, make sure he hasn't knocked someone up."

Gigi's eyes were wide, "My brother is kind of a cad. He hasn't knocked anyone up, from what I've overheard between him and Zay, it's mostly oral."

"Gigi" Riley couldn't help but blush, "You really shouldn't know that about your brother."

"You think I want to know? I don't, but when he sits at the bar and has that fourth whiskey, he reveals stuff."

"Is that something that happens often?"

"No, not really. He doesn't drink that often, maybe when he goes to Dallas to hook up with skanks, but four is usually his limit here in town, and that's usually a quiet night at the bar, or here at the house." Gigi kept her gaze on Riley as she moved around the room twisting the ring she was wearing, "Like Lucas will only talk about you when he's on that fourth drink."

Riley spun around faster than she knew she should've, "He still talks about me?"

"Yeah, always good things." Gigi assured her, "And then if he lets himself, he wonders if he was ever good enough for you."

Riley stared at her engagement ring, "Alcohol and nostalgia are a depressing mix."

Gigi nodded, "I've noticed that when I'm working."

"Where do you work?"

"I work for Zay, the hours aren't great, but the money isn't bad."

"It's good you have that." Riley sat on the other side of the bed, "I remember working for my Mom in the bakery, I think after you guys moved back here I spent every single afternoon, weekend day, spare moment working."

"You missed Lucas that much you had to stay busy?" Gigi went straight for it, seeing no reason to hold back.

Riley continued twisting her ring, wishing that her finger wasn't itching under it, "I um, you know, things were different. You guys were gone, he was gone, and I needed to focus on something. While he and I had been together, everyone kind of found their own activities, or relationships. Farkle and Isadora were figuring out mathematical formulas, a lot of which we use today for our business. Zay focused on dance, he was amazing, and Maya she was more into her art and dating Charlie Gardner of all people."

"And who's the lucky guy that you're going to marry?" Gigi pointed to the ring.

"His name is Dave, he's a lawyer, I grew up with him." Riley felt her body stiffen, "Do you need help making dinner."

"Um, actually yeah, I could." Gigi rose, realizing that Riley didn't want to talk, "I had some stuff prepped already, nothing fancy."

"Simple is fine with me." Riley thought about all the fancy foods she'd been eating in California, "In fact, I would honestly say I crave it."

Gigi giggled, "Well then, come help."

* * *

"A third shower man?" Zay stood outside of Lucas' bathroom door chucking, "What's got you all hot and bothered?"

The door flew open, Lucas with his towel around his body as he glared at Zay emerged, "Riley Matthews, you knew didn't you. You knew she was R. Lawrence from the start, right?"

"Okay, I knew." Zay watched as Lucas pulled out his boxer briefs from the drawer and pulled them on under the towel, "I mean I kept in touch with her, I didn't pretend she didn't exist for the last what thirteen years. Oh, wait when you've had that fourth glass of whiskey, man her name is on your lips, I'm afraid of what you might do if you have a fifth glass."

Lucas didn't say anything as he pulled on a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt.

"I mean maybe then again I should've and you would've booked a flight to New York, showed up outside her apartment and kissed her." Zay tried to read Lucas but all he could see was the anger radiating off his friend.

"Did you know she's engaged?" Lucas tried to keep his voice even, his emotions in check. He had no right to be angry, no right to be hurt. He'd moved on from her. Sure, he hadn't dated anyone since Riley, but why should he if all it would lead to was heartbreak?

"I heard a rumor she _might_ be." Zay went to the window, "But I didn't see any excited Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram posts announcing it. She wasn't wearing a ring earlier."

Lucas twisted the towel in his hands, "I got back from fixing the fencing, she had her ass up in the air, lace panties against her cheeks as that skirt of hers rode up, down, whatever as she was searching for the ring under her car seat."

"Well now I understand the third shower." Zay covered his mouth with his hand. "What has you upset Friar, the fact that you can't seduce her for a taste of what you never had, or that the love of your life is going to marry someone else."

"Fuck off Zay" Lucas snapped as he went to the bedroom door, he paused as his hand hit the frame several times before he balled it up into a fist, "I never expected to see Riley again, and yet here she is. And it's hard to see her, to see how beautiful she's become, she was always beautiful, but I don't know if it's a confidence she's gained or what, it's different. We were seventeen when I left, things change, we've changed."

"You think you're not good enough for her?"

"That's not what I'm saying Zay." Lucas paused for a moment trying to figure out if his words were coming out the way he meant them, "I just never thought I would see her again, I was okay with that. Now she's here, and it's been almost fourteen years."

Zay shook his head, "Gigi says dinner should be ready in a few minutes, and then we'll sit down with Riley, she um, might have some tough questions to ask you."

"I have nothing to hide." As the words spilled from him, he couldn't help but wonder if he had anything to be proud of either. What had his life been since he moved back to Texas?

"Of course, not, you've got no secrets from me." Zay rolled his eyes as he watched Lucas go down the stairs, "Only from yourself."

* * *

Lucas stopped outside the kitchen, Riley and Gigi were setting the table up, already back in the natural chemistry the two had always shared. He could remember afternoons at the park where the three of them and Auggie would play. He was sure if Gigi could've had a crush that young she had one on Auggie. He noticed just how comfortable Riley appeared as she moved around the kitchen, here she was dressed in jeans, a George Washington University T-shirt, her hair piled into a messy bun on the top of her head.

"See something you want?" Zay came up behind his friend.

He understood it was a loaded question, "Yeah, food." He moved into the kitchen, "Looks good ladies."

"Thanks Luc" Gigi gave her brother a kiss on the cheek, noticing the way he tried to avoid looking at Riley, who was of course trying to avoid looking at him, "Did you take a shower?"

"Yeah, I was sweaty and gross from fixing the fence." Lucas glared at his sister.

"Oh, I just thought you took one this morning when you got home from house calls." Gigi shrugged as she took a sip of her water as she sat down.

"Do you go on house calls often?" Riley sat across from Lucas, unable to avoid his gaze.

"Yeah, almost every day, the only time I won't go on one is if I go to Dallas."

Zay glared at Lucas, wondering if his best friend was an idiot.

"Do you go to Dallas often?" Riley looked to Lucas as she twisted her engagement ring to relieve the itch she was feeling.

"Once every few months, it's nice to be able to go out without the gossipy hens catching on." Lucas looked to Zay wondering what he'd told Riley.

"Well I hope you had fun." Riley filled her plate with food, "Because that was your last trip to Dallas, no more blow jobs from random whores if you want a career in politics."

Zay had been taking a drink of water when he heard Riley Matthews use the words blow jobs and whores at the dinner table as if it was perfectly reasonable conversation. He started laughing, choking, water all over his shirt.

Lucas couldn't believe he'd just heart those words from Riley, "I'm sorry what?"

Riley rose from her seat as she moved towards Lucas, "That's what you go to Dallas for right, to get off without the local girls finding out that you're nothing put a piece of trash man, right?" She watched as he turned his whole body towards her. "You get to keep the golden image that is Lucas Friar," She dropped down so she was crouching, as her hands rested on his knees, "While still getting some blonde down on her knees worshipping your cock."

Lucas watched her, what the hell was she doing? Was she trying to get him to come in his pants at the dinner table? Because he was sure he would as he felt her hands slide up his legs. He tried to focus on her eyes, swirling with anger, "If you want a career in politics, you've got to be aware of who is sucking you off."

He leaned towards Riley, trying to ignore the fruity body spray she wore, "I'm a single man with needs Riley, was I supposed to stay a virgin forever?"

"No, of course not." Her heart was pounding, what had she been thinking, she hadn't been. "Maybe just be a bit more discreet about who you're fucking. Maybe only screw a woman you're in love with instead of trying to accumulate as many notches in your headboard as possible." She stood up, returning to her seat, "This is what I'm here, to clean up this mess and make sure people don't know about this crap."

"Not everyone likes candle light and rose petals on the bed." Lucas felt his foot bouncing as he remembered what he'd always thought he would set up for her, for them, "Some of us just want to get off. Who'd you lose your virginity to, your Prom date?"

Riley looked to Zay, "Zay did we have sex on Prom Night?"

"We certainly did not." He sat back watching the two of them, he hadn't been expecting this, he was sure they would see each other, maybe dance around for a few days before she called Dave, broke it off, this tension, energy between them was _not_ what he'd envisioned.

"Zay was your Prom date?" Lucas felt his heart skip.

"Yeah, I wasn't dating anyone, so why not go with one of my best friends. Maya went with Charlie, Farkle with Smackle, and I went with Zay." She felt like her hands were shaking, "When did you lose yours, Prom night?"

"No" Lucas shifted in his seat, trying to ignore the fact that his body was still reacting to her touch even though she was now on the other side of the table.

"He lost it in Las Vegas, on spring break, he doesn't know her name." Gigi dropped, "Yeah you talk when you drink, I know stuff about you, big brother that I probably shouldn't."

"Las Vegas?" Riley's eyes snapped to Zay, "And you don't know who she was?"

"I'm not proud of it" Lucas sighed, "The whole night was a blur, her face is always out of reach in my mind. She was gone when I woke up, she just left a note behind that said it had been fun, with a lipstick print instead of her name."

"I um, I need some air, this got out of hand." Riley rose from the table going out the back door, walking until she was sure no one in the house could see her anymore as the sun was starting to set in the distance.

Spring Break.

Las Vegas.

He didn't remember who she was.

He didn't remember it was her.


	4. -taste of love oh bittersweet-

**-taste of love oh bittersweet-**

Lucas picked at his plate, pretending not to watch the glances between Zay and Gigi, "I see you two."

"You're an asshole." Gigi put her water glass down and looked over the table at him.

"Um, I just got attacked for what would you say, my healthy appetite of the sexual nature." Lucas took a sip of his water, he couldn't believe he'd just said that to his baby sister.

"You are trying to avoid something, it's not healthy to run off to Dallas to get whatever it is you get." Gigi shook her head, "I don't know if you're avoiding falling love, getting over Riley, or something, but figure it out."

"I'm over Riley" Lucas cleared his plate bringing it to the sink, "I've been over her for years."

"Bull. Fucking. Shit." Zay called out from the table, "You never got over her, you still think about her, she still gets under your skin. You can say you've been over her for however long you want to pretend, but you're not. I saw the way you looked at her when she got out of the car, and it wasn't just because she's more beautiful than before. No, you were a man that saw the love of his life come strolling back into it. And did you hear her earlier, she and Dave haven't made their engagement Facebook official yet."

"Corn. Chip. Fucking. Dave." Lucas shook his head, feeling the jealousy coursing through his body. "The biggest gossip in high school, how the hell did they get together?"

"You'll have to ask Riley when she comes back from wherever she went." Gigi looked out the back window, "I hope she didn't go too far, I would hate for her to get lost in the dark trying to find her way back here."

"I've never seen her like that before." Zay confessed, "I don't think anyone would believe me that Riley not only used those words, but got up over to you like that, at the dinner table of all places. How did she know about Dallas?"

"Yeah Gigi, how did she know?" Lucas crossed his arms over his chest as he watched his younger sister.

"I might have mentioned something about it, she's here to help you clean up your image," Gigi got up with her plate and threw a towel at Lucas, "You big brother might have this golden boy thing going on the surface, but beneath being Bachelor of the Year three years in a row, you treat women like they're disposable, and if you want to be Mayor or something more you need to cut this shit out. If Riley can help you do that then God Bless her."

Zay chuckled as he cleared his plate, "If only Maya could see you now, she wouldn't believe it."

"Who's Maya?" Gigi took the last few items from the table besides Riley's plate leaving it in hope that she would be back soon.

"Riley's best friend, at least she was." Lucas sighed, "She used to make fun of me call me Huckleberry, Ranger Rick, thought I was Lucas the Good."

Gigi raised an eyebrow, "Lucas the Good, the same Lucas who took the truck one weekend and went camping with Gloria Maya the weekend after his eighteenth birthday?"

"I didn't do anything with Gloria May" Lucas snapped, no he'd tried, they were making out in the bed of the truck, they'd zipped their sleeping bags together, and then he kept calling her Riley. That was who he wanted to be camping with, that was who he'd planned to be camping with that weekend.

"People change people" Zay shook his head, "I hate when he's right."

"Who?" Gigi was feeling lost.

"Riley's Dad."

"The secret of life." Lucas opened the fridge, his hand hovered over a beer but he stopped himself, a sudden fear of what he might be brave enough to do if he started drinking tonight. Instead he grabbed a Ginger Ale, "Mr. Matthews was our teacher, when I moved to New York, before you screamed and cried your way into my heart, Riley made me a better person."

Gigi nodded as if she understood, "And that is why she's here, and why you need to stop being an angry jackass. If you remove the stick out of your ass I'm sure Riley will relax, and the tension between the two of you will fade, and you can be friends again."

"We were never any good at being just friends." Lucas popped the top of his Ginger Ale and sat at the table just as Riley came back in the door.

"I'm sorry, I um, don't normally get that aggressive or dramatic, I um, I think my tactics are still a bit too Hollywood, I tend to need to be a bit blunter with them." She was still twisting her ring. The itch she was feeling getting more intense.

"It's okay." Lucas watched as she came to sit at the table, "I needed to hear it, you're right I have to stop doing that." He would be lying if part of him wasn't replaying the image of her between his legs repeatedly in his mind.

She picked at her dinner, "Um, tomorrow I'll need access to your social media to scrub it clean, lock anything possible, un-tag you from anything embarrassing. So, I hope you saved whatever it is you post somewhere if it's important."

"I don't post my conquests on Instagram."

"Anymore" Riley muttered to herself as Gigi picked up her left hand.

"Riley, what's wrong with your finger?" Gigi held Riley's hand closer to the light, "Lucas you're a doctor, look."

"Gigi" Lucas rolled his eyes before he felt Riley's hand dropped into his. He couldn't move for a moment, his body seizing up from the shock as if the missing piece of him had been returned. "Oh yikes, Riley this doesn't look good."

She was studying her hand trying to ignore the way it felt to have Lucas hold it, the way her body was begging to melt at his touch, hell her body was begging her to do a lot of things at this moment if she were honest with herself. "The last time I saw this was when I had worn that ring for the school play that was made of Nickle."

Lucas nodded, he remembered. That had been when they found out about her allergy, it was why when he bought her a pair of earrings for her birthday he saved his allowance for four months, and did anything he could to earn some extra cash so he could buy her a sterling silver pair. "Take off your ring, I should have something to help."

Riley felt the air escape from her body when he dropped her hand, with shaking fingers she removed the ring Dave had given her, with some extra tugging as she realized her finger was swelling. She closed her eyes trying to focus and not worry about anything else.

Lucas came back with a tube of cream and some Benadryl, "Take this, it should help contain the reaction."

"Thanks Lucas" Riley opened the package and swallowed the pink pills as she watched Lucas take out the cream.

"This is just some hydrocortisone cream, but it should help for now." Gently he applied the cream with his finger, gliding over hers gently.

Riley bit her lower lip as she watched Lucas, "Your patients are very lucky to have you as a doctor, you're very gentle."

"I'm not sure they feel that way all the time, but I'm glad you think so." He was struck by his own sincerity of his words. "Listen, I have to go into town tomorrow to Harrison's, we can have them look at your ring and find out if the coating wore away or whatever. Just obviously don't wear it for now."

"Thank you again." Riley looked away so her eyes didn't connect with his.

Lucas dropped her hand and picked up the tube of cream, "I um, I have some work to do. We'll um, we'll talk tomorrow morning."

"Good night Lucas." She watched as he got up taking his can of Ginger Ale with him.

Zay had already slipped out of the room leaving Gigi as the witness, "I have never seen that before, at least in all the years I can clearly remember."

"Seen what?" Riley cleared her plate from the table and came over to the sink.

"Lucas, he took your hand and it was like something happened, like he was washed in calm or complete or, I don't even know."

Riley shook her head, not wanting to admit she'd felt a calmness wash over herself, "I doubt that Gigi. I'm going to do what can to help with his campaign, but that's all I'm here for."

"Whatever you say." Gigi watched as Riley went to the table picking up her ring studying it for a moment before she left the kitchen, "Both are idiots."

* * *

Lucas had gone up to his room, closing the door behind him before he opened the top drawer of his dresser pushing aside several pairs of socks before he pulled out the small black box. He glanced over to make sure the door was really closed before he opened the box, looking at the small round diamond set in a simple platinum band.

He took it out, he hadn't looked at it in ages, but tonight as he held Riley's hand he knew still, this ring was meant to rest on her finger. He could remember how the first summer back in Texas he worked and scrimped and saved every cent he earned. People thought it was for college, for a car, no, it had been for this.

He put it back in the box, the snap as he closed it vibrating around the room. This was the ring that should be sitting on her finger, not that obviously cheap thing Dave had given her. How could he give her a ring that caused her finger to swell and itch? Didn't he know about her allergy? Or did he just not care?

Slipping the box back in his hiding spot he went and sat on the bed wondering how the hell he was going to sleep when she was so close to him, but still so far away.

* * *

Riley put her engagement ring down on the dresser before plugging her phone into charge. She could already feel the Benadryl taking effect as she changed into her pajamas before going to brush her teeth.

Years of not being able to explain to him how mad she was at him for moving on the way he did was bubbling to the surface.

Her eyelids were already heavy as she got back to the bedroom and crawled under the covers.

He didn't remember.

She could remember every single detail about that night in Las Vegas.

Lucas had no idea it was her.

She could remember the way he kissed her right after he spoke her name. She begged him to never let her go, before she knew it they were in his room.

Clothes shed, promises made, the ultimate connection.

She left the note in the morning, but it was more than what he remembered, so much more.

If only Lucas had read the rest.

Or maybe he had, but changed his mind.

Yes, that was the only explanation.

Lucas Friar never had any intention to marry her. If he did he would've found her, he would've tracked her down at the wedding chapel.

Riley would be falling asleep in his arms after putting their kids to bed.

They would make love early in the mornings.

She closed her eyes, feeling them water with tears. She pulled the pillow close to her body, trying not to get lost in a world of what if's. Though it was so difficult not to when there was only a wall between them.


	5. -time to face my weakness-

_**Author Note: Sorry this is up so late tonight, it was a random babysitting day with the nephew, and if it was up to him Aunt Kat would never have her laptop open or be on her phone unless it's to show him videos and pictures of him being cute. And then well I had to listen to ÷ and I got sucked into a Jenny Han book...  
I did get asked about a dream cast list for this, so I'll post one on tumblr this weekend.  
Next chapter will be up on March 6**_ _ **th**_ _ **, so Monday!**_

* * *

 **-time to face my weakness-**

"Riley" his voice cut through her body, cut through the noise of the crowd around them, the slot machines as far as the eye could see.

She spun towards him, her heart rapidly beating. The tight V-neck t-shirt across his broad chest which had just gotten broader over the last few years, the sparkle of his green eyes. She felt his arms slip around her, lift her off the ground and spin her around before his lips crashed onto hers as though it were the most natural thing in the world for him to just kiss her.

She snaked her arms around him, fingers fluffing the hair at the back of his neck as she returned the kiss. She'd missed this, him, damn it why hadn't she gone to Texas A&M after all instead of NYU and George Washington?

She pulled her lips from his first kissing his jawline, his facial hair tickling her lips as she moved towards his ear, "Lucas, don't let me go, don't ever let me go."

He held her still as he set her down, the two still embraced, his eyes wet with tears, "I miss you Riley, I still love you."

Her stomach flip-flopped, her heart swelled, "I still love you, I miss you every moment of every day."

"We should talk, just us." He told her before kissing her once more.

His room was just a few floors below Riley's as he pushed the door open she pulled him into it, kissing him, feeling him push her up against the wall, kissing every inch of her body that he could find exposed.

"Are you still a virgin?" She pulled away from him, remembering all the images she'd seen on his Instagram account before she unfollowed him, tried to pretend he no longer existed.

She watched as he ran his hand over his hair, "I've done oral, but never actual sex."

She could see the fear in his eyes, "Same" she confessed, it had been years since they were together, he moved on and so had she.

Lucas reached for her, "I want you as my first and my only."

She let her fingers trial up his chest before her eyes focused on his, "Don't make a promise you don't intend to keep or can't keep."

His hands moved down her body, "You are my heart, my missing piece. If you let me make love to you here and now, I am yours forever, and I will make it legal tomorrow at the chapel of your choice."

"Lucas" she turned away, still caught in his touch, "I'm in D.C. and you're in Texas, we can't be married."

"Yes, we can, we only have another year of school left, right?" His fingers moved the hair from hiding her eyes, "I can apply to Grad School near D.C. or wherever you are, I love you Riley, if you'll have me, I will move heaven and earth to be wherever you are."

These were the words she'd been silently dying to hear for years, words she never thought she would, "I could move to Texas once I graduate, you can go to Vet school and I could find a job, doing something, I don't even know what I want to do still."

"We'll figure it all out" he smiled watching the way her eyes lit up before she kissed him, her fingers slipping under his shirt.

Lost in the fever, lost in the moment as they shed their clothes, explored parts they hadn't touched in years and finally succumb to the desires they'd locked away. He kissed his way along her back, feeling her shiver under each touch of his lips.

She took his hand, kissing the palm several times before moving up his arm to his neck as her legs wrapped around him.

Neither spoke, they just looked in the other's eyes as they braced for the moment, when two became one.

Riley sat up in bed, her heart racing, her body sweaty and cold at the same time as she tried to adjust to where she was. The sun was already rising and she found her phone, along with fifteen missed calls, eight from Dave, three from Maya, one from Isadora, and two from Farkle.

Texas.

Lucas.

Her ring?

Riley looked at her hand, then it all made sense again, she'd had some kind of allergic reaction to her ring. Lucas gave her a Benadryl before passing out.

Yes.

That's why she'd had _that_ dream.

That's why she'd allowed her memory to let it through.

It was the only explanation possible.

She dug her shower supplies out of her bag before grabbing her towel and going down the hall. The house was quiet still, she wasn't honestly sure if it was because everyone else was asleep or because they were out doing chores. She was really going to have to get a schedule and if she was going to stick around find a way to help out where she could.

The water was exactly the pressure Riley had been craving after spending the last several months in a California hotel.

How was she going to do this? How was she going to help Lucas when all she wanted to do was get away from him?

That was a lie.

Part of her wished she was the type of woman who could break his heart on purpose. Make him fall in love with her, get him hot and bothered, and then leave him waiting for her outside a wedding chapel.

No, she was still lying to herself.

Part of her, a tiny part buried deep down, one she ignored most days, wanted him. Wished that he'd thrown her over his shoulder yesterday and brought her to his bedroom, locking them in, tearing her clothes off, making her his once again.

Part of her craved him, not sex, him. His touch, his kiss, his moans, his grunts, the taste of him, the way he made her feel.

No other man ever made her think like that, crave that sort of thing.

Not her college boyfriend Jeremy from her senior year, no he only made her climax if she thought about Lucas.

Not Alan who she'd met while working for her Uncle that first year out of college.

Certainly, not Dave.

But she loved Dave, if she didn't why on earth would she have accepted his proposal?

Because Lucas Friar was her past, and she never expected to see him again.

Yet here she was, standing naked under the showerhead in a bathroom in his house. She could wrap a towel around her body, slip down the hall into his bedroom, join him in bed.

It would be easy to get lost in that with him once more.

But it would be far too hard to get untangled from the web of pain and lies it would create.

Besides, even if Lucas didn't remember it, she was the first official notch in his headboard, and she had no intention of giving him the pleasure he'd once received from her. No, Lucas Friar had had her and forgotten, then stood her up outside the wedding chapel.

She closed her eyes, feeling the sting of hot tears.

She hadn't cried about it in years.

Lucas had used her for sex. He had to know it was her, saying he forgot cleared him of the guilt, and got him off the hook for standing her up.

He'd made a promise he'd had no intention of keeping.

She scrubbed her body clean, trying to hold back the tears. He wasn't worth them.

When she was done, she piled her hair into a towel and got dressed in jeans, a basic black t-shirt, and her favorite pair of keds.

The house was still quiet, she grabbed her phone, seeing a new voicemail from Dave, and another from Maya. She went out to the front porch and called Maya first.

"Hey, you called four times." Riley sighed as she took in the view around her, it was beautiful with the golden morning sun painting the day around her.

" _Yeah, I heard something crazy last night and I refuse to believe it's true."_

Riley could practically hear Maya laughing already, "What did you hear?"

" _That you not only used the words blow job, whore, and cock at the dinner table last night, you also did a demonstration."_

"You talked to Zay huh?"

" _Actually Farkle."_

"Great, just wonderful." Riley sighed, "I did, it just kind of happened. I don't know I was just angry and wanted to shut him down."

" _So, you're really in Texas at Lucas' ranch?"_

"Yeah, I haven't told Dave yet." Riley ran her finger over where her engagement ring had been, the swelling gone and the rash already clearing.

" _So, I take it theirs...tension? What's his wife like, or better yet how much does she hate you?"_

"Yes, theirs tension, that would be an understatement. He's not married, but you probably knew that already."

" _Okay fine, how badly do you want him to just take you somewhere and fuck you until you couldn't possibly fuck again?"_

"Maya, that is an awful question!"

" _And I have my answer." She chuckled._

"I'm going to try and find someone else to help him. I'm not sure I'm comfortable dealing with cleaning up his past sexual escapades." Riley looked towards the door, "He says he doesn't remember who he slept with in Las Vegas."

" _Ouch, that has got to hurt."_

"Not as much as it did when I waited for him and he didn't show up." Riley blinked back the tears, "I um, I gotta call Dave. I'll let you know when I'm on my way back to New York, I shouldn't be here more than a few days."

" _When's the election?"_

"November, why?"

" _I'll see you in November."_

Before Riley could protest she realized that Maya had hung up on her.

She took a moment before she dialed Dave's number, "Hey, sorry I missed your calls."

" _Are you okay? Isadora would only say that you'll be in Texas until November."_

Riley rolled her eyes, "I uh probably won't be gone that long at all. I'm not sure this client needs the Riley Matthews touch."

" _Everyone needs the Riley Matthews touch."_

Riley cringed as she heard him trying to sound sexy, "Um, weird question, you have the insurance policy for the ring, right? Nothing has happened, but just in case it does, you got it when you got the ring at Tiffany's right?"

" _Yeah of course babe, it's covered. What makes you so sure you won't be gone for long on this?"_

"I just um, I think someone else might be what the client needs, but I'll figure it out first." She felt that nagging knot in the pit of her stomach. "I gotta go, we'll talk later when I know more."

" _I love you Riley."_

"I love you Dave." The words felt wrong as she spoke them, and that alone was enough reason for her to get as far away from Lucas Friar, from Texas as soon as possible.

The screen door opened, Lucas came out in well-worn jeans, a sports gray t-shirt, "Um, Coffee is ready if you want some."

"Thanks, that would be wonderful." She rose from where she'd been sitting, walking through the door.

"Did you sleep okay?" He watched her, trying to ignore the obvious that she'd been talking to Dave and the jealousy bubbling inside of him.

"Not really, I always have weird dreams when I take Benadryl." She looked away from him as they moved through the living room to the kitchen, "What about you, did you sleep okay?"

"Like a baby" a baby that as up all night, crying and screaming. She'd invaded his thoughts, he'd felt anger boiling inside of him all night. At times, he wanted to go wake her up and demand to know why she seemed so angry at him, but then he got scared.

Scared that she wasn't angry at him.

Scared of possible comfort that could be sought from each other.

Scared that he could give in.

Scared that she would give in.


	6. -you do what you do-

_**Author Note: I just wanted to say thank you guys for checking this story out. I promise to answer all questions that I can.**_

* * *

 **-you do what you do-**

The drive into town was silent, neither wanted to say anything. Neither knew what they _could_ say.

Lucas turned the radio on, _There's no place like you, no place like you_. He felt the tension form in his body but before he could turn it off Riley hit the power button.

"So, what do you need to do in town this morning?"

"I have to pick up Gigi's birthday present at Harrisons, and you know pick some stuff up at the market."

"She'll be nineteen next week huh, I can't believe she's that old."

"Neither can I." Lucas glanced to Riley, trying to ignore how natural it felt to have her in the passenger seat of his truck, "Sometimes it seems like just yesterday we were taking her and Auggie for picnics in the park."

"That was a long time ago, we were different people then." Riley let her eyes fall on him, studying the comfort he had behind the wheel, as she shifted the gears, "We were young and in what we thought was love."

He almost slammed on the breaks, did she really say that? What they'd had was love, at least at the time, at least for him. "Something like that."

Riley couldn't help but wonder if she'd gotten under his skin with that one, "I mean it's not like I was going down on you, that's real love isn't it Lucas?"

"No that's sex, and it feels great. But what do you know about great sex Riley? Have you ever been with a man that makes you tremble, a man who makes you wet just the way he looks at you." He looked her over, eyes searing as they fell upon the rise and fall of her breasts.

"I've had great sex Lucas, I'm not some cold fish. Also, I at least know the names of everyone who's been inside of me, every set of lips that have been on me. You can't say the same, can you?"

His hands gripped the steering wheel, as he pulled into town. He didn't want to think about any other man touching Riley. All he could think about were how his lips should be on hers, wondering how she would respond to his touch, wondering if he could turn her on with just one look.

"Sorry, I don't know why I keep saying the things I'm saying." Riley couldn't help but see the pain lining his face, "It's like my filter has vanished, maybe I've been in politics too long."

"Or I just push your buttons." He pulled up in front of Harrisons, "Or you're jealous."

"Oh, yes Lucas, I'm jealous of all the women you've gotten on their knees to get you off." She rolled her eyes, "If that's what makes you happy great, but if you want to be mayor, or have any future in politics it's done."

"Fine, I don't need it." He tried to ignore the golden flecks in her eyes that he was sure were lighting up as they poked each other with their words. He held back the words threatening to take over, he took every ounce of strength he had to hold back from pulling her to him, kissing her, showing her what he could make her feel.

Riley undid her seatbelt, feeling the heat, the tension building in the cab of the truck, "Well good then."

"Let's get into Harrisons and you can find out what's up with your ring." He watched her slide out of the truck, he bit his lip when he saw the back of her shirt ride up just a little exposing her back.

"You coming?" Riley turned to him blushing.

"Just a second." He grabbed his keys, taking a deep breath before getting out of the truck and walking into Harrisons.

* * *

Camilla Harrison was dusting the display cases when she heard the bell over the door come to life. She moved behind the counter smile, "Well Dr. Friar, I bet you're here to pick up that pair of earrings you ordered for sweet little Gigi."

"I sure am Camilla, but first my um, Riley here needs your help." He gestured to her while she'd gotten lost looking at the artwork on the wall of the handmade statement pieces.

Camilla raised an eyebrow, she knew the name, she remembered when Lucas had only been back a few months, coming in to purchase a very nice platinum engagement ring. "It's nice to meet you Riley, what can we do for you today?"

Riley came over to the counter, removing the ring from her purse, "I um recently received this ring, and I um have a Nickle allergy, it seems the protective coating on it wore away."

One look was all it took Camilla to know what the issue was, "Well dear, this ring never had a protective coating. This is the kind of trinket you get at Wal-Mart or Claire's, the sort of thing you wear once or twice and then drop at the bottom of a coffee tin to forget all about until your kid finds it and thinks it's real."

"I was told it came from Tiffany's, it was even in the blue box." Riley couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Camilla gave her a smile, "I'll be right back."

"She's the best in the state, she can spot a fake from miles away." Lucas leaned casually against the counter, feeling a strong urge to punch Dave if he ever saw him for having the gall to give Riley a ring she was not only allergic to, but also a complete fake—to allow her to believe it was real. What kind of man would do that? One not worth of Riley that was for sure.

Riley paced around, "I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding, I mean he knows about my allergy."

"I'm sure Corn Chip Dave meant well." Lucas watched as Riley stood in front of the display of engagement rings, "Though, the style, not what I would expect for you, far too flashy."

Riley raised her eyebrow as she glanced to him, "Oh really, like you ever thought about me and engagement rings, save it Friar."

He put his hands up to surrender, knowing he couldn't tell her the truth, "One of those speaking to you?"

"If I had picked the ring, it's not what I would've picked for myself. It was lovely, but, actually, I would pick something more like this one."

Lucas watched as she pointed to the one that was identical to the one sitting in the back of his sock drawer. "That's a nice one, hopefully Dave finds something like that to replace this cheap thing."

"Were you always this much of a brute when we were younger or is this a new thing?" She looked up, catching a softness in his eyes.

"Well you know, people change people." He smirked as Camilla came out with a few times.

"Well let's see what we're dealing with." She took out her loupe and studied the stone, shaking her head sadly, "It's glass, I'm sorry."

"So, this ring itself is what?"

Camilla took a solution and tested it, "Nickle, again I'm sorry."

"Thank you." Riley accepted the ring back and slipped it into her purse. Her mind trying to figure out how she ended up with a trinket for an engagement ring, and what I meant for her and Dave.

"Now Lucas, these earrings are gorgeous, Gigi is going to love them. You are a sweet big brother to even think of getting them for her." Camilla placed a box on top of the counter.

Lucas picked up, snapping it open to study the Ruby earrings with a platinum setting around them, "What do you think Ri, think Gigi will like them."

Riley took the box and smiled, "These are perfect, meaningful, classic and modern at the same time. She is going to love them."

"Thank you, she's been pinning stuff like this on Pinterest for months." Lucas took the box and snapped it closed, "Camilla they look amazing, thank you."

"You're welcome." She cleaned up the testing supplies and looked to him, "What did you ever do with that ring you bought years ago?"

"You bought a ring?" Riley was shocked, who could it have been for?

"Camilla is getting me confused with some silly school boy." He gave a pleading look to drop it, "I'm pretty much a confirmed bachelor."

"Yeah Lucas would never propose to anyone, that's not his style." Riley hated the bitterness of her words.

Camilla clucked, "Oh, he will, to the right woman, and only to the right woman. How long will you be around Riley?"

"Probably not long at all." Riley realized she had to get out of Texas as quickly as possible, the last thing she needed was to find out about the woman Lucas had loved enough to buy a ring for. "I'm just kind of dropping in before I go back to New York."

"That's a shame." Camilla handed Lucas a bill which he signed, "We've got the big Fourth of July dance in a few days, always a good time."

Lucas sighed, "Thank you Camilla, I'll see you soon I'm sure."

Riley moved with him out to the street, "So, who was the girl you were going to propose to?"

"Camilla is getting me confused with someone else." Lucas lied, "You're the only girlfriend I've ever actually had." He leaned in close to her, so close he could breathe in her body wash and spray scent, "All I've had are skanks on their knees remember?"

"You're right, you would never propose to a woman, and if you did, you would probably stand her up at the chapel."

Lucas was crushed by her harsh tone. She really thought that about him, but why? "Come on, we've got to get groceries, when we get back to the house you can scrub my social media clean, and yell at me some more if you want. I'm starting to think you like yelling at me."

"I don't like yelling at anyone." She told him as they got in the truck, but he was right she kind of did enjoy yelling at him, releasing so many years of anger, jealousy she'd carried.

"Whatever you say Princess." Lucas smirked, watching the way her cheeks turned pink when he used the old nick name.

* * *

Zay and Gigi were gone when Lucas and Riley arrived back with the groceries, a note left behind saying they'd gone to do an inventory at the bar, prepare for the busy Saturday night but would be home before they had to work for the night.

He and Riley hadn't really spoken, except over what foods to buy. He noticed she snapped a few pictures of him on her phone, be he didn't ask why. Part of him hoped it was because she wanted to have a snapshot of him, the real him, but he realized it was most likely for the campaign.

She was confusing him, at some moments she seemed more than happy to help him, to be here, but other moments he could only describe as fiery, she was ready to pack her bags and get out of dodge, or in this case Rosewood Springs as soon as possible.

He didn't want her to leave.

He didn't want her to go back to New York and marry Dave.

Fucking Corn Chip Dave of all people.

She belonged here, with him. He could see it.

The way she easily moved around the kitchen, the way she sipped her coffee, the way the sun hit her hair.

"Lucas you've got to organize these cabinets, you have so many duplicates of stuff, and it's all over the place."

"I know" He smiled softly, "I keep putting it off, I don't even know a quarter of what's in these cabinets. I mean there's stuff from my college days, stuff from my parents before they moved out of the country, Pappy Joe and Mama Betty, and who knows who else has passed stuff on in these cabinets."

"It would be a great project when you can't sleep or need to clear your head or something." Riley suggested as she put the canned goods away.

"I'll keep that in mind." He grabbed a few bottles from a cabinet and some spices, "So how did you and Dave become a you and Dave?"

Riley paused, she hadn't anticipated he would ask. "Oh um, well my offices are in the same building as the law firm he works for. Um, I was in the city working on a local election, so I was in the office, which is rare. Really Smackle runs it, crunches the numbers, all the fun stuff. I handle the more personal aspects."

"Like making sure no skanks appear on my social media."

"Exactly, and making sure you dress appropriately, and you present yourself the way the voters need to see you."

"Is that why you were taking pictures of me in the grocery store?"

Riley bit her lip, "You caught that huh?"

"Yeah, I did." He grabbed a bowl and started to pour his items in, "So you were in New York?"

"Yeah, I was in New York, and every day I would get lunch at this hot dog cart outside the building. You know my weakness for them." She sighed.

"Because your Mom wouldn't let you eat them." He smiled and opened a cabinet revealing it was full of baking mixes for cakes.

Riley grinned, "I could only imagine what Ivy would say if she saw this." She took out a box of double chocolate mix, "She would probably lecture you about all the sugar in it."

"She would and then I would say, Well Mama I'm thirty-one years old, if I want to eat some double chocolate cake, I will. I work hard, I'm not laying around doing nothing so I'm going to enjoy a sweet."

He was close to her, too close as Riley backed away, "So anyway, I was at the hot dog cart one day and I just collided into him. We started chatting, he invited me to go for drinks, and next it was dinner, before I knew it we were dating."

Lucas grabbed a whisk and stirred the contents of his bowl together, "So, um, do you guys live together?"

"Actually" she put the cake mix down, "I technically still live with my parents. I travel a lot, so instead of waste money on renting an apartment I'm never in I consider that my home base. I mean when I graduated from college I lived with my Uncle Eric while I worked for him in D.C., and then when I moved back to New York, Smackle and I were starting our business so money was tight."

"I get it, I mean let's be fair I'm living on my family's ranch." He put the whisk in the sink and grabbed the package of chicken he'd left out before opening and tossing the breasts into the mixture. "I mean I've got my best friend and younger sister as roommates."

"I'm really not in New York often." She confessed as she started gathering the ingredients for the cake not even thinking about what she was doing.

"How do you and Dave do the long-distance thing, like handle it I mean?" He put a cover on the bowl before he shook it coating the meat in his marinade.

"We visit when we can if I'm gone for a while." Riley started mixing the cake batter together, "Um I was in California when he proposed, on the beach, at sunset."

"With a cheap ring." Lucas couldn't hide the smirk if he wanted to.

"I'm sure he has a reason for it." Riley defended, though she wasn't sure what that reason could be.

Lucas put the chicken in the fridge and grabbed a cake pan and the Crisco, "It better be a good reason like he got ripped off somewhere and didn't realize he was giving you something that would make you sick."

"Yeah, exactly." Riley watched as he greased the cake pan and then set the oven to preheat. "So, who was the girl you bought a ring for?"

"I told you, I never bought a ring." Lucas felt his lower lip quiver, how was any of this fair, she was here in his home, asking questions he didn't want to answer.

"She broke your heart didn't she, let me guess some girl you fell for when you got back to Texas, some blonde, blue eyed girl, who treated you like some sort of rock star since you had that big city sophistication, right? You thought this was it, she's the one, but she turned you down, and you haven't opened up since to anyone." She was afraid to look at him, afraid she might give something away.

"Nope, no blonde girl with blue eyes ever made my heart go clip-pity-clop. I did get treated like a rock star by the girls when I got back though. It was annoying at first, they wouldn't leave me alone, it was like I was some prize they had to win." He stopped for a moment and looked to Riley, "In fact, I kind of think the women in this town, hell the county still see me as that. It doesn't help that Gigi keeps submitting me to be Bachelor of the Year."

"Three years in a row." Riley finished mixing the batter before pouring it into the cake pan, "If you get me those social media passwords I'll see what I need to delete for you."

Lucas handed her his phone, "Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, all here."

Riley held the phone in her hand, "Thanks, how active are you on social media?"

"Not as active as I was in high school, probably as active as Zay."

"Okay then, um, I'll bring this back when I'm done.

Lucas watched as she left the kitchen, he couldn't help but let their conversation replay, why was she so damn sure he'd fallen for someone when he moved back to Texas? Why was she so sure it was a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes?


	7. -a place you belong-

**-a place you belong-**

Riley sat on the bed in her room and pulled up his Instagram first. Mostly pictures of animals, pictures of the ranch, sunsets, she was thankful he didn't have the swarm of girls all over him that she expected to find.

She went back through the years, hitting his college days, still mostly school pride stuff, no girls other than a young Gigi looking up at her adoring brother.

Then she hit the Vegas trip.

Her stomach tightened as she studied the pictures of him and Zay, touristy stuff, nothing scandalous. She stopped on one, she knew exactly where he and Zay were. It was moments before she saw him again, she held the phone closer wishing she could zoom in, even though she didn't need to. She could see her and Maya in the background, giggling over Margaritas.

How did he not remember, he couldn't have been _that_ drunk, she wasn't that drunk, or was it just a way to ease his guilt?

She would've married him in that little chapel, she would've moved here to Texas.

She put the phone down and went to the window, Lucas was outside, working on something, she wasn't sure what. Leaning her forehead against the window she could almost, if she allowed herself for the briefest moment to see a young boy following him around as if Lucas had hung the sun and the moon.

That had been a dream.

It was never meant to be a reality.

If it had been he would've shown up.

She pulled herself away from the fantasy, the fantasy of a young girl who had believed the words spoken on a desperate night, in a desperate moment. Maybe in the moment he'd meant it, only in the morning light he didn't.

She picked his phone back up, bracing herself to go further back, to find the pictures that had broken her heart so many years ago.

Riley was sure she would find some pictures of him partying in college. Nothing.

High school graduation he was posed in his cap and gown in front of the house, with Gigi in his arms trying to get to his tassel.

She scrolled further, not seeing the incriminating photos she remembered. The ones she cried over. They were gone.

The only girls in any photos on his account were Gigi, his mother, Maya, Smackle, and herself from stuff he'd posted in New York.

What did it mean?

She hadn't imagined those pictures.

She could still see them in her mind if she closed her eyes.

Riley grabbed her own phone and dialed Maya, "Hey, I'm not totally crazy right, Lucas had pictures of girls draped all over him on his Instagram account when we were in high school, right?"

" _Hello Riley, yeah I remember not wanting you to see them, why?"_

"They're gone, I didn't delete them." Riley looked down at the phone in her hand, "I just spent the last two hours going over his Instagram feed, nothing bad."

" _It's Lucas, of course there isn't anything bad. He's like Captain America."_

"If Captain America got blow jobs from random bitches in clubs." Riley cringed, "What am I doing here, I don't think he needs me."

" _I think you are there because he does need you. You just don't see how because you're blinded by jealousy which is funny considering you're engaged to Dave."_

"Who maybe spent ten dollars on my ring," Riley sighed, "It's made of Nickle, Maya my finer swelled up yesterday, got itchy, I'm surprised Lucas didn't have to cut it off me before he put cream on it."

" _Wait he didn't get the ring at Tiffany's like he said? Didn't he give it to you in the blue box?"_

"It was, but um, I don't know Maya. Did he get scammed or did he just not care?" Riley found herself back at the window watching Lucas as he pulled his t-shirt off and wiped the sweat from his brow, "Shit."

" _I'm sure Dave has an explanation. It could be he didn't want you traveling with the expensive ring, or I don't know, he knows about your allergy." Maya waited a moment for a reply, "Riley you there?"_

"Yeah, I um, Lucas is shirtless."

" _And you're engaged to a man that isn't Lucas."_

"No, he's not." Riley couldn't look away, "Lucas was going to propose to someone. He keeps denying it, but the lady at the jewelry store wanted to know what he did with the ring he bought years ago."

" _Riley don't torture yourself. Figure out what you need to do and get out of Texas. Nothing good happens in Texas."_

"And nothing good happens after 2am." Riley pulled herself away from the window, "Besides his little trips to Dallas to hook up with women, I don't see any problem that he needs me here for."

" _I'll stop by your apartment and pack up some more casual, Texas like clothes. You're going to find a reason to stay there until this Election in November."_

"Why do you say that?"

" _Because I think sooner rather than later you're going to find out why you need to be there."_

"I'll be back in New York as soon as he files his paperwork."

 _Maya was silent for a moment, "Riley, don't run away. See this through. Do whatever you need to help him. Maybe what you need to do for him isn't what you think it is."_

Riley rolled her eyes, "I just don't know Maya, I just don't know."

" _Maybe this isn't about what Lucas needs, maybe what you need is closure before you marry Dave. You need to put the cowboy behind you once and for all. No more what-ifs hanging in the air."_

She looked out the window again, "No, I'm over Lucas, I've been over him ever since he didn't show up to the chapel in Las Vegas."

Gigi stood outside Riley's door, she'd been about to knock when she realized she was on the phone. Vegas, as far as she knew her big brother had only gone that one time.

"How could I not be over him Maya, I lost my virginity to him, he asked me to marry him and then he didn't show up at the chapel. Any love I had for Lucas died that day."

Gigi's eyes were wide as she backed away from the door, trying to process what she'd just heard. It couldn't be possible, could it? Was Riley the mystery woman her brother had lost his virginity to? What was this about a wedding chapel?

Pieces of this puzzle were missing and Gigi Friar was going to make sure that they were all in place before she let Riley get on a plane and leave Texas. She just wasn't sure how that was going to be possible.

* * *

Gigi swung Zay's door open not even bothering to knock.

"What the hell Gigi?" He grabbed his towel to cover his naked body.

"Please like I've never seen it before." Gigi rolled her eyes as she dropped onto his bed after she closed the door.

Zay wasn't sure what she meant and he didn't think he was ready to ask, "Why are you busting into my room?"

"Riley's aggressive attitude towards Lucas, what's up with that? Why is she so angry at him?" She brought her knees to her chest as she watched Zay pull his boxer briefs from his drawer sliding them on under his towel.

"No idea, never seen Riley like that or heard her use language like that before." He shrugged not wanting to think about it.

"Well me about the Las Vegas trip." She continued to watch him as he moved about the room dressing.

Zay stopped, still shirtless as he turned to Gigi, "I don't know what to tell you Gi, I don't know what you have in your head. It was college, junior year. We went to Vegas, Lucas drank, I drank, he ran into—oh."

"He slept with Riley, they lost their virginities to each other, right?" She dropped her knees to sit crisscrossed, "What do you know Zay?"

He grabbed a shirt with the Wild Z logo on it and pulled it on, "I know a lot, about both. I've known them a very long time Gigi."

"So, you know Riley thought they were going to get married and he stood her up at the chapel?"

"What?" Zay stopped, staring at the young woman, that's what she was, a woman. Damn he didn't need to be having thoughts like that right now. "Riley was gone before Lucas woke up, he doesn't remember it was her, and I've never had the heart to tell him."

Gigi looked at her nails, painted red now, "I was going to talk to Riley, but she was on the phone with Maya. I overheard her say they lost their virginities to each other, that he asked her to marry him, but then he didn't show up at the chapel."

Zay sat on the bed, "I don't know about a chapel or anything. But if Riley thought they were going to get married and Lucas didn't show, no wonder she's angry at him. She thought they had a chance, she'd already thought they lost that in high school."

"Because we moved to Texas?"

"No, I think she still had hope they were going to be together. After you guys moved back, she worked every shift she could at her mom's bakery. She could probably whip up at cake without a box mix with her eyes closed. She had this plan to come surprise him for his eighteenth birthday," Zay sighed, "And then a couple of weeks before she shut down about it, told us she decided it wasn't a good idea. Me being the big mouth that I was I had told Lucas she was going to surprise him."

"But she didn't" Gigi's eyes went wide, "After he turned eighteen, that's when she started going out on dates again. He didn't date before then."

"So, Riley didn't show up to surprise him, I learned to keep my mouth shut and not tell anymore good stories."

Gigi put a hand on his shoulder before another under his chin making him look at her, "Tell me a good Riley and Lucas story."

"What I know Gigi is that they need each other, does Lucas really need her help to become mayor, probably not. But he needs Riley, and she needs him. They just don't know it. And even if they did I'm not sure either would know what to do. They're idiots." Zay blinked afraid of the hypnotic power of her green eyes. "Do you know how much work it took to get them together in the first place? They're a mess on the best days, and these are not their best days."

Gigi moved away from Zay when she realized just how close she was to him, "Okay, so what do we do. How do we get Riley to stay in Texas, how do we get rid of her fiancé, and get her back together with my idiot brother before they both end up living lonely miserable lives?"

"Lock them in a closet, get them drunk, I don't know." Zay shrugged, "I didn't know she was engaged to Corn Chip Dave of all people. I mean I knew they were dating, but she never sees him, she travels all the time for work."

"If she travels so much, why should Lucas open himself up for that?"

"Because she would settle down in Texas for him, I know she would." Zay jumped off the bed "If these two idiots realized they could be together, they would."

"Let me guess set them up with a recreation of their first date in the backyard, sabotage her engagement, this isn't _The Parent Trap_ , Zay."

"No, it's not, they're not our parents, but if we can arrange a time or two where they end up alone, together, in a setting that is semi-romantic, maybe they'll realize what everyone else knows."

"That they need each other." Gigi sighed as she laid back on his bed, "I was sure Lucas would see her, she would see him, and they would just kiss and be together."

"That's how Vegas started." Zay pulled out a pair of socks, "Maya and I got them in the same place at the same time, they barely said hello before they were kissing, clinging to each other and disappearing to be alone."

"Was he really that drunk that he can't remember?"

Zay sat down on the bed again pulling on his shoes, "Sometimes I think it's more that he doesn't want to remember. Especially if he did ask her to marry him and then didn't show up. That is a lot of guilt to live with."

"They could've been together all this time." Gigi sighed, "Idiots."

"Yeah, idiots."


	8. -the one I want for life-

_**Author Note: Why do you all think Lucas doesn't remember Las Vegas?  
Also, since I hit 1000 followers on Tumblr (seriously that is mind-blowing to me), I'm doing a little fanfic giveaway. You can find out more about it here: katdvsDOTtumblrDOTcom/post/158131449057/1000followergiveaway**_

* * *

 **-the one I want for life-**

Lucas knocked on the guest room door, when Riley opened it he felt that pickup of his heartbeat that happened every single time he saw her. God, he wished that would stop, and yet he didn't want it to. It wasn't fair, "Um, are you done with my phone?"

"Oh yeah, just finished. Um Facebook, Twitter were easy, you barely use them. Instagram was surprising." She put the phone in his hand, afraid to touch his skin but feeling the heat shoot through her body when her finger tips grazed his palm.

"What was surprising?"

"Um just that you didn't have pictures of you with a bunch of girls, actually the only girls on your entire feed are your Mom, Gigi, and then Maya, Smackle…"

"And you." He looked down at the phone, "See I'm not a total asshole."

"Did you delete pictures from high school, from parties you attended already?" She had to know.

"I never posted party pictures." Lucas slapped his phone against his hand, "The only time those ever made it onto my feed would be when Dixie would steal my phone and post them. I would try and go delete them later."

"But they would be pictures of girls all over you, wouldn't they?"

"Maybe I don't remember, that was ages ago Ri would that really matter?"

Yes, it would! She wanted to scream but instead Riley shrugged, "We need to set up social media for the campaign, and then um, we need to really sit down and talk strategy."

"And not about the women who have sucked my dick right?" He was sure her eyes drifted down his body, no he was imagining it. "Yeah, Zay and Gigi already went to the bar for the night, since well it's Saturday, um I'm going to grill that chicken I put in to marinate earlier. You can join me of course, I mean why wouldn't you unless, you want to go hang out at the bar until like three am."

"Dinner with you sounds fine, besides we have cake." Her heart was fluttering as she took a step back from him, "Maya says hello."

"I'm sure she does."

"No, really, she does." She slipped her phone into her back pocket, "How about you do the chicken, I'll get us some sides."

"That would be wonderful." He moved away from the door so she could come out, "Have you, um, talked to Dave yet?"

"Not yet, it's Saturday he'll be out on his boat, no phone until tomorrow."

"He's a boat guy huh?"

"Yeah, well he got into it a few years ago, when he joined his firm." Riley shrugged, she didn't really enjoy going out on the boat, she always ended up seasick.

"You and Dave, that just seems weird to me." Lucas confessed as they went down the stairs. "I mean I could've seen you and Charlie."

"And I can still hear the distaste for him in your voice, but he married Maya."

"That oddly makes sense." Lucas stopped at the bottom of the stairs, "How about while we prepare dinner you get me caught up on everyone back in New York; even Maya."

"I can do that, or at least try. I'm sure you know some things."

Lucas shrugged, "Zay is closer to all of you now, somehow I came back here and lost hold of all of you."

"I'm sure Gloria Maya and Dixie tried to fill that void just fine."

Lucas couldn't help but catch something in her voice, was that it? No, it couldn't be that. She wouldn't be jealous of two girls who he never did anything with—okay he made out with Gloria May once and then she'd slapped him when he moaned Riley's name.

* * *

"So, what can I get for you tonight Dixie?" Zay looked at the woman with blonde hair as she gave him that smile, he figured she thought it was sexy, flirty, but something always unsettled him about it.

"I see you left the Doc at home tonight, so I guess I'll just take one of those cosmos they drink on TV." She let her eyes travel over Zay, he was cute, but he was no Lucas Friar, no Lucas had been her goal since he moved back to Texas in high school a goal she was sure she was close to achieving.

"Lucas is at home, with an old friend." Zay started to mix the drink for her, "You know I don't think I've seen anyone drink a cosmopolitan on TV since we were kids."

Dixie gave him a dirty look, "So an old friend, that Farkle guy in town?"

"Nope, Riley, his first and _only_ girlfriend." Gigi moved next to Zay grabbing a few beers from the tub in front of him, "Dixie you look a little green."

"What is his ex-girlfriend doing visiting?" she put her cash on the bar when Zay put her drink down.

"Well, Riley is visiting Lucas for a while. They've reconnected, and this was the perfect time in her work schedule to get down here." Gigi explained while Zay moved to another customer, "You look a little green, sure you don't want some water?"

"Oh, well, will she be here for the Fourth of July dance?" Dixie thought to the tight red dress she planned to wear, she had a plan to get Lucas once and for all that night.

Gigi smiled, "Of course she will, Riley is going to be around for the foreseeable future."

"Wonderful," Dixie tried to hide her frown, "I can't wait to meet her."

"I'm sure the pleasure will be all yours when you do." Gigi smiled as Dixie walked away with her drink.

Zay came over behind her, "What did you just do?'

"Well at the very least I got my big brother a reprieve from Dixie for a little while, or I just gave Riley the best excuse to stick around Texas and forget all about Dave."

Zay shook his head, "Her and Lucas reconnecting? How is that going to make her stick around? They're going to kill you."

Gigi smirked, "Trust me Zay, they might be mad, but come on, she needs to stay right?" She turned to look at him, feeling that weird energy she'd been trying to ignore for she didn't even know how long now, Worst comes to worst Riley leaves, and if she does Lucas will chase after her this time."

"What makes you so sure?" Zay felt as if he was missing a piece of Gigi's puzzle, how could she be so sure?

"Because I'll drag him to New York myself if I must." She grabbed her order book before going back out to check on her customers.

Zay shook his head, he could've stopped her, but he didn't, he at the very least did enjoy watching how unsettled Dixie was at hearing that Riley was in town.

* * *

Riley was setting the table for two when she looked out the window to see Lucas on the back patio manning the grill. She closed her eyes for a moment, giving herself just a small little time to fantasize, thinking of kids running around the backyard.

She blinked when she saw him turn towards the window, giving him a small wave before she continued with her task. Though as she moved around the kitchen she couldn't help but wonder if he had thoughts like hers.

No probably not.

He stood her up.

He is the reason why it wasn't a reality.

She had to get him set up with his campaign as quickly as possible or she was going to end up with broken heart, which she knew was trouble since she was engaged to someone else.

Dave was a good man, he loved her, okay maybe not as much as corn chips or his boat, but he loved her. He wanted to marry her, have a family, settle down.

Lucas wanted to get off occasionally and not have anyone attached to him. Why though, what had changed, hadn't he wanted what she wanted once? Or had they just been young and saying what they thought they should say and promise to each other?

He stood in the doorway watching her, trying to keep himself from picturing what it would look like if there was a mini version of her following behind, trying to help.

Why didn't he go to NYU? Because the thought of being near her and not being with her was pure torture. Why didn't he go to New York and tell her that he loved her and that being broken up was the dumbest decision they could've made? Because he was afraid she didn't agree, he was afraid she was okay with them not being together.

Why else would she be planning to surprise him for his birthday, only to not come after all.

If only she'd been the girl in Las Vegas.

"So, um Chicken is ready." He carried the plate and set it on the table.

"Wonderful, we've got a nice little spread." She brought a pitcher of water over to the table.

"Do you want anything besides water, I've got some wine and beer over here." He pulled curtain back to reveal a small wine fridge.

"This is a professional dinner, we've got to get your campaign figured out." She reminded him.

"A glass of wine isn't unprofessional." He watched her, he could see the resolve wash away.

"Fine, what do you have in a white?" She took down two classes from the cabinet.

Lucas took out a Pinot Grigio and found the corkscrew, opening the bottle. "So, what is Auggie up to these days?"

"He's teaching, he followed my Dad's footsteps, except he's teaching kindergarten instead of middle and high school." Riley watched him, trying to figure out how they could go from these moments of simplicity between them to the sudden tension that would overtake them. What did any of it even mean?

"Did he and Ava ever get together?" he poured a glass before handing it to her, watching as she studied it for a second before taking a sip.

She moved to the table, "Auggie is single. He and Ava dated up until college, and they grew apart, she lives in California now and owns a Yoga Studio."

"Wow, they did change." He poured his own glass, never letting his eyes leave her.

"We all change Lucas, life changes us. Look at Zay, he was on his way to being a Broadway dancer and got injured. Smackle always planned to go and cure diseases, and yet she spends most of the day pouring over polling data. Maya thought she was going to become a famous artist, but she's a stay-at-home mom to two kids she has with Charlie. Really, you're the only one who did exactly what they said they would do, become a Veterinarian."

Lucas took a sip of his wine, "You're still helping people, maybe not the way you intended but you are."

"So, you want to help the people of your community, what makes you think you can do that?"

"Going straight for it huh?" He looked down at his plate as he gathered his thoughts, "People trust me, they come to me for advice, the people of this town believe in me."

Riley nodded, "Have you thought about the work load, you have the ranch, your practice, being mayor is going to take up more time than you realize."

Lucas rested his arms on the edge of the table, "I have Gigi and Zay to help with the ranch, and a staff of ranch hands who do the heavy stuff. My practice is thriving, and I can always bring someone in to help if need be."

Riley focused on her food for a moment as she thought how to bring this up, "Your marital status, this could bring you some unexpected attention. I know you've been named Bachelor of the Year three years in a row, it might bring more unwanted attention."

Lucas took a sip of his wine, "I have no plans to get married or date." How could he when the only woman he'd ever contemplated marrying was engaged to another man who wasn't worthy of her, not that Lucas was worthy of her either.

"I've worked on campaigns in small towns like this, chances are the women are going to be itching to marry you off, if they weren't already."

"Can't I be a confirmed bachelor?"

"People might talk, you and Zay, roommates for how long?" She leaned back taking a sip of her wine.

"I'm pretty sure people won't be gossiping about that."

"Tell me about your opponent." She decided to change the subject.

Lucas sighed, "Current Mayor, getting older, nothing has really moved forward in town, kind of a holding pattern, too comfortable in the position."

"Younger blood, revitalize the town you love, okay, okay." Riley looked over to him, "I think your chances are good Lucas, your social media was clean. But go lock everything up, you need fresh accounts."

"Fresh accounts?"

"Yeah, we'll set up a story for who you are. Control the message, the story." She explained, "This is something that Gigi might be able to do for you when I leave."

"Desperate to get back to Dave huh?" He downed the rest of his wine, getting up from the table as his phone went off with a flurry of text messages.

"I don't think I need to be hands on that's all. I don't think you need me." She explained as she got up following him, "What's wrong?"

"Just really weird messages from Dixie Carmichael." He rolled his eyes, "If anyone thinks I need to be married it would be her, but only if she were my wife."

"What's she saying?" Riley tried to ignore the pit of jealousy rooting itself in her stomach.

Lucas scrolled through them, "Something about how you and I are reconnecting. How does she know you're here?"

Riley took the phone from him, "How does she even know about me?"

"Zay and that mouth of his, but she must've misheard him, the bar is pretty loud." Lucas put the phone down, his hand landing on top of hers and he felt a shiver ripple through his body.

Riley didn't pull her hand away she looked at his though, feeling her heart beating before she looked up at him, "So, Gloria May, Dixie, how many other hearts have you left broken around town?"

"I don't make promises I have no intention of keeping, if I broke any hearts here in town it's because they created something in their own minds that wasn't." It would be so easy to kiss her right now he realized, so easy to blame it on the wine.

Riley pulled her hand away, "Tomorrow we need to go through your wardrobe, see what you have, what you need, see what your look is."

"I need a look?" he wondered why she pulled away then. "We've got Church tomorrow, you're welcome to go with us."

"Of course, I should see you in your weekly element." She gathered the dishes and started to put stuff away in the fridge.

"Why did you go to George Washington, why leave NYU? I know why Zay left, but why did you?"

"I needed to get out of New York." She put the chicken in some Tupperware, "I needed a change, and I didn't go to my first choice because the money wasn't there."

"I thought NYU was your first choice."

"There was this program I was interested in somewhere else but I didn't get in." She lied, she couldn't tell him that she'd been accepted to Texas A&M, that she'd almost gone, but couldn't stand the thought of seeing him with another woman.

"I'm sorry, I can't imagine anyone rejecting you."

Riley shook her head, "That's fucking funny coming from you Lucas." She threw the plastic wrap back in the drawer and stormed out of the kitchen.

"What does that mean," He followed her watching as she stormed towards the steps but he reached out for her, to keep her from walking away.

"It means what you think it means Lucas" she couldn't look at him, she couldn't get lost in those green eyes that didn't know, didn't understand.

"I think you're mad at me for something and dammit Riley I don't know what for."

"You're mad at me as well." She broke her silent vow letting her eyes fall on his, she could so easily kiss him, just taste him once more, stir his memory, but what good would that do either of them? She would still be engaged to another man, and he would still be the man who didn't meet her at the chapel in Vegas.

"Maybe it's the situation, maybe part of us is still mad that we had to break up, we didn't get the natural end to our relationship." Though as Lucas spoke he knew there was no such thing, nothing about them ending could or would ever be natural.

"We would've maybe have made it through high school, but college took us different places." It took every bit of strength she had not to caress his face, feel his facial hair against her finger tips.

"Distance is hard, I'm sure you're aware of that, you can make it work with the right man."

She didn't speak.

"Dave is the right man for you, right?"

"Dave loves me, he wants forever with me, not just a night."

Lucas couldn't speak, did she really believe that he could only ever want her for a night? He wanted her for every night, he wanted her for every morning, every afternoon, if he honestly thought she could want him now he would do anything and everything she said to.

Her phone started ringing, she pulled it out of her pocket, showing Lucas the screen, "Speak of the Devil, I should take this."

Lucas released her stepping back, "Of course."

Riley felt like a piece of herself was falling away as Lucas' touch was gone and she answered the phone, "Dave hey, um, how was the water today?"

Lucas went into the kitchen shaking his head, grabbing a fork from the drawer and going to the cake, Riley had frosted it, creating a simple pattern with a fork on top. She wouldn't tell Dave she knew about the ring, she wouldn't tell Dave that she was with Lucas. She was going to try and get out of here as fast as possible, he could feel it in his bones.

He stuck his fork in the cake and pulled out a full forkful before stuffing it in his mouth, he had to come up with a plan to keep Riley here in Rosewood Springs.

If she didn't want to be here, with him, why should he try to get her to stay?

Because he needed her.

He needed Riley.

He needed her with him, in his life.

That's what people meant, wasn't it? He didn't need her as a consultant.

Lucas Friar needed Riley Matthews, but how was he going to get her back?

* * *

Riley listened as Dave went on, and on about what a wonderful day he'd had out on the water on his boat with his co-worker Avery.

She should be jealous right now that her fiancé spent all day out on the boat with another woman, shouldn't she? Shouldn't she have the same reaction to the news that she had to the thought of another woman touching Lucas, another woman pressing their lips against his, feeling his hands on their body?

She shook her head, no she had no reason to worry or be jealous of the time Dave spent with Avery. They were friends, they usually ended up on the same cases. She never had any reason to be jealous.

Why couldn't she bring herself to tell Dave that she was with Lucas?

Not that she was _with_ Lucas, but here in Texas, on his ranch?

Would he be jealous?

Had she ever given him a reason to be jealous?

No, Riley had never strayed from Dave. She'd never strayed from any of her boyfriends.

Except she might have fantasized a time or two, thousand maybe about Lucas.

But those were fantasies. Even after he crushed her heart, yes part of her would always be physically attracted to him, she wasn't blind, she could see very easily how attractive he was. He could give her one look, it was innocent enough she'd notice in the last two days, and part of her would be wishing he'd throw her over his shoulder and lock her away in his bedroom.

Fantasies are not reality though.

She started to change for bed, the way Lucas had stopped her earlier, she should've been mad, and she was, but only that he hadn't pulled her body against his, that she didn't get to feel the vibrations of desire she hoped to God he was feeling.

What was wrong with her?

Riley went to brush her teeth, why was she torn between trying to get out of town as quickly as possible, and needing him to ask her to stay.

She had no reason to stay though.

He didn't need her.

But Riley did need something from him, closure.

That's what this was about, it had to be. She needed to put Lucas Friar in her past once and for all so she could move on with Dave.

She studied herself in the mirror, really looking at her reflection. It was a Saturday night and she was free of make-up, her hair in a simple ponytail on top of her head. She looked wow, maybe, probably not to Lucas.

It would be so easy to go his room, to ask for that one night, it was all he could give her, wasn't it? It would be all he would want to give her.

No, she already had one night with him, and he didn't remember it.

That was it.

She needed him to remember. She needed him to remember the sensation of her lips on his chest, the feel of her mouth on his shaft, the feel of being inside of her and reaching the ultimate peak pleasure.

When she stepped out into the hall she paused, gathering courage perhaps, strength maybe. His light was on and she took a few steps towards his door, trying to gain the confidence to knock.

His door swung open just as she decided she couldn't do it, "Riley is something wrong?"

She closed her eyes so she wouldn't get distracted by him in just the pajama bottoms, if she opened them she knew she'd have that Peggy Carter moment of wanting to just reach out and touch his chest. "What time is church in the morning?"

"Service is at ten-thirty, we leave here at ten sharp." Did she not understand what she was doing? Even though her pajama bottoms were loose they clung to her body in the right places, he was sure she was panty free now, he knew she was braless, but the tank top she had on was tight across her chest, he couldn't help but notice the logo, "Gamma Gamma Nu?"

"Yeah that was my sorority." Riley wondered if he recognized the logo as matching the tattoo on her buttocks from their one night together.

"I was an Alpha Tri Beta," Lucas tried to look away, did she know how much more beautiful she was right now, in a way he could only describe as wow. She probably had no idea, Dave probably never told her, he probably didn't really understand what he had.

"Oh, um so I should go now."

"Riley, I um noticed something in my pictures." He had to find a reason to stop her.

"You did?"

He grabbed his phone, "This one, from Las Vegas that looks like you and Maya giggling in the background."

"It is me and Maya." She told him not looking at the phone.

His heart was beating quickly, "It's a shame we didn't run into each other."

Riley looked down at her hands, "Good night Lucas."

He was stunned silent, what had he said? What was he missing? He reached out grabbing her before she was too far away. The golden flecks of her eyes blazed with a fire, "Why are you so mad at me?"

Her breathing was heavy as her eyes tried to fall from his but only realizing she was in more trouble if she stared at his chest. "You're not the Lucas I thought I knew." She wanted to scream at him to kiss her, to show her that he wanted her. "Who are you? No really Lucas, who are you?"

"Who am I?" He questioned, pushing her against the wall of the hall, "I'm a man Riley, who yes I have needs, I have desires, but …"

"But what Lucas." She ran her hands over his chest, the hard muscles, golden chest hair as she stared into his eyes, her breathing becoming heavy as she felt the definition of his body, the texture of his golden chest hair against her finger tips.

"You're a woman, you have needs, you have desires, but…" He could feel his body vibrating, he wanted to kiss her, he needed to kiss her, he could kiss her and find he spark he was desperate for gone or he could set a forest on fire claiming Riley as his once and for all.

"But what Lucas" She felt herself lean towards him, her eyes pleading for him to kiss her, even though her mind knew it was wrong.

His fingers ran down her cheek, over her throat, "You're not the kind of woman who cheats and I'm not the kind of man to ask you to."

"You're right, I'm not the kind of woman who cheats." She felt his touch, his body move away from her, it was like the oxygen around her was gone.

Lucas ran his hands through his hair, "I could never ask you to jeopardize your future, your happiness for what? A night of some high school fantasy."

"And I'm not looking to become a notch on your headboard." She moved down the hall knowing she wouldn't be a new notch.

He watched her walk away, didn't she get it. She wouldn't just be a notch, no if Lucas was going to be with her, worship her body the way she deserved than she had to his and his alone.

At least now he knew that part of her wanted him, part of her needed him, but what about the part that wanted and need Dave?

Riley leaned against her bedroom door, what the hell was she thinking?

She knew what she was thinking.

She knew what she wanted.

She knew what she needed.

She laid on the bed, pulling a pillow against her body. She had to get out of Texas before she ruined her life in some crazy schoolgirl fantasy.

Why did she still want him?

Why did she still need him?

Why did she want him to want her?

Why did she need him to need her?

That wasn't about closure, no it was something else.

But what?

* * *

"Lucas and Riley are going to kill you when they find out what you did." Zay told Gigi as they got out of his truck, it was three in the morning, the moonlight was bright, washing over the fields.

"Or they're going to thank me." She put her purse over her shoulder and watch Zay, "They need a push to be together."

"She's engaged, Riley isn't the kind to cheat."

"And my big brother isn't the kind of man to ask her to." Gigi stopped on the back steps, putting her at Zay's eyelevel, "It's obvious they care about each other, and I think they both need the other, but something is holding them back and it's not the man she plans to marry."

"What's holding them back Gigi?"

"Fear, we should be fearless."

"And are you fearless?"

Gigi pushed her shoulders back, "I should practice what I preach, shouldn't I?"

"I mean it might help your case." Zay was trying to ignore the familiar flutter in his stomach as Gigi's eyes took an inventory of him, "Gigi?"

"What are you afraid of Zay?"

"I'm not afraid of anything." He gulped, that was a lie, he was afraid of what Gigi was about to do, that he had now power to stop it because damn it, part of him wanted to find out, and he was afraid of what Lucas would do to him when he found out.

"You're lying." She smirked as her hand ran over his cheek, "You have this specific smile when you lie."

"Gigi, we should go inside, get to bed."

"Mine or yours?"

Zay was stunned, "You in yours and me in mine."

Gigi shrugged before she leaned in, her lips on his, expecting him to pull away, only to feel him pull her closer, into him.

He knew it was wrong, he knew he should stop it, but it felt like every kiss he'd ever heard described in a movie or love song. No kiss he'd ever had before, had been like this.

This was everything Gigi had imagined it could be the last few months as the butterflies circled her body whenever he was near her. She'd tried to ignore it, she would flirt with the guys she waited on, but none of them made her tremble with just a look.

Lucas might end up killing Zay, but at least Zay figured he was going to die a happy man and that was only from a kiss.

Gigi pulled away smiling and took the step behind her up, still facing Zay, "I'll see you for church in the morning."

Zay stayed outside, knowing he had to keep a distance between the two of them.

He'd be lying if he'd said he hadn't thought about it, hadn't imagined it, but he'd always tried to push it out of his head. She as Lucas' baby sister, she wasn't even nineteen yet, a few days away but still.

She was about to turn Nineteen, and Zay was thirty. Two very different worlds, two very different lives to lead. No way could he believe she was even ready for what he was ready for, no she still had so much of the world to see, to explore, getting involved with him would hold her back, and he could never do that to her.

Not that he'd have the chance to, the minute Lucas found out, and he would, then Zay would be a dead man.


	9. -find a reason-

_**Author Note: You guys rock, seriously you are all amazing. I am always so grateful that you take the time to read my stuff, reblog it, like it, review it. Don't forget if you're on tumblr I'm doing hat 1000 Followers fanfic give away so check that out.**_

* * *

 **-find a reason-**

Lucas had tossed and turned again all night, every thought was about getting up, walking down the hall to the guestroom, lifting Riley out of her bed and bringing her to his.

Now he stood in the living room, watching her move around his kitchen, wondering why she look so at home there? She was wearing a simple floral print dress, the skirt hitting below the knee, and he couldn't help but notice that she wore ballet flats rather than heels.

She was making coffee, glancing at her phone every so often, biting her lower lip.

He knew it was wrong but he was thankful he didn't have to see her engagement ring, it let him have the fantasy for a minute or two.

"You should talk to her Lucas." Gigi watched as her brother jumped, startled by her.

He glared back at his sister, "We've talked."

Gigi rolled her eyes, "I doubt about everything, or anything real. You still love her, I can see it all over your face when you think no one is watching."

"If, I did and that's a major if, it doesn't matter she's engaged, it's been too long Gigi."

"For now," Gigi shrugged, "I wouldn't stay engaged if a guy gave me a ring that did to me what it did to Riley, that shows a lack of care, concern, an inability to know or remember facts. You still remember she's allergic to Nickle."

"Hey what did Zay say to Dixie last night?"

Gigi looked at the ground, "Oh, yeah, that um, wasn't Zay who said something."

"Gigi Darcy Friar what did you do?" His voice raised, out of the corner of his eyes he could see Riley look at them as she poured a cup of coffee.

Gigi moved into the kitchen, "Okay, so Dixie was sniffing around you, she heard Riley was in town, so I kind of maybe implied that Riley was here and that the two of you were … reconnecting."

"What?" Riley put her coffee mug down and stared at Gigi, "I think I'm missing something here."

"She got ridiculously jealous, because as far as anyone knows you're the only girl who has really turned Lucas' head." Gigi grabbed a mug from the cabinet before pouring herself some coffee before grabbing the sugar. "Anyways, I had to do something to get her to back off, I mean I could've told her some wild tale about you running from a con-artist ex."

"Gigi shut it." Lucas warned.

Gigi smiled to herself as she took a sip of her coffee watching the confusion between Riley and Lucas.

"So, I'm in town because Lucas and I are getting back together?" Riley couldn't believe what she was piecing together.

"Yeah, something like that." Gigi shrugged, "What was I going to say Lucas likes to get blow jobs from women in Dallas and Riley is here to make sure you don't find out?"

Lucas shook his head, "Gigi, what are you up to?"

She put the mug down as Zay came into the kitchen trying to tie his tie. "Just trying to help you out with Dixie. I'm sure you can figure it out all on your own."

Riley noticed the way Gigi went to help Zay out, an odd layer of tension between them that she hadn't picked up on before, was it new?

Lucas grabbed a travel mug from the cabinet filling it with coffee and doctoring it up the way he liked, "Zay you're driving, we're going to church. We will listen to the sermon, we will sing the hymns, and we will socialize, we will all be polite, no one mentions that I'm running for mayor because I haven't filed the paperwork yet, and we don't talk about why Riley is here."

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"Lucas is right, now let's go." Riley put her coffee mug in the sink, giving Gigi and Zay a warning look as they all went to SUV.

* * *

"So, what are you up to Gigi?" Riley stood away from the crowd sipping on watered down lemonade as she watched Lucas interacting with other people, smiling, laughing.

"Lucas needs you Riley, he needs your help." Gigi sighed, "Maybe he doesn't need you the way most clients do, but he still needs you."

"I think he needs me gone, and I think I need to be gone." Riley watched a shift in Lucas' body language when a blonde woman came over to him, "Who is that?"

Gigi took a sip of her own lemonade trying not to smile, "That's Dixie."

Riley watched for a moment as Dixie's eyes traveled up Lucas as if he were a piece of meat. "What does she do for a living?"

Gigi thought for a moment, "I think she claims to work marketing for her family's ranch, but not sure how much work that really is."

Riley nodded as she saw Dixie reach out to touch Lucas. She said nothing as she shoved her lemonade cup towards Gigi before moving across the social hall, moving right up next to Lucas, "I've been looking for you Lucas." Slipping her arm around his waist.

Lucas felt her slip her arm around him, and damn did it feel right, "Riley, this is Dixie."

"Oh hi, I'm Riley Matthews." She rested her head gently against Lucas' chest.

Lucas blinked, a small smile crossing his lips, he had to be dreaming, why was Riley on him like this?

Dixie narrowed her eyes, "Dixie Carmichael, I heard you were _visiting_."

Riley waved her hand, "You spoke with Gigi I take it."

"So, you won't be here for long?" Dixie smirked ready for this woman to be out of town.

Lucas felt his heart racing having Riley so close, touching him, he could smell her shampoo, fruity but flowery as well, oh how he just wanted to press his lips against the back of her neck. He was so distracted by having her close, yet he could still pick up the weird territorial tension brewing between the two women.

"Actually, I'll be here for the foreseeable future." Riley studied the way Dixie's nostrils flared at the news.

"What could Rosewood Springs have that New York doesn't?"

"Lucas, my boyfriend." She could feel him turn his head to protest so she pressed her lips against his, feeling the spark spread through her body as his hands dropped to her waist. She could get lost in this feeling if she hadn't remembered they were not only in public but in Church of all places.

Dixie's mouth was gaping open, "I didn't know Lucas had a girlfriend."

Riley put her hand over Lucas heart, "We got back in contact with each other months ago, emailing, video chats, and that special thing between us when we were in high school was still there, so we decided that I would come down here and we would be together." Oh, how she wished it were true, that this lie she was telling was a reality.

"Yes" His voice dry when he finally spoke as he looked down at Riley with a soft smile, "She's here to be with me."

"Good luck, you'll need it, not a single woman in this town has been able to get Lucas to settle down in anyway." Dixie sneered.

"Well, none of you are me." She took Lucas' hand and started pulling him away, "We should find Gigi and Zay."

He nodded, "Yeah, we should" he glanced to Dixie, "See you around."

Riley began to lead him away, biting her lower lip, feeling the nerves pulse through her body, pushing away any confidence she'd just had as they moved to where Gigi was watching them.

"What was that?" Lucas finally asked, trying to ignore the beating of his heart as he studied her.

"I don't know, it just kind of happened." Riley admitted, she couldn't explain it, but she felt like she had to do what she'd done.

Lucas rubbed his chin, "Yeah well now you're stuck here, you have to pretend to be my girlfriend." As soon as the words were out of his mouth he realized they were true, she had to stay now.

"We'll discuss this at the ranch." She smiled, "Right now we're being watched."

Lucas nodded silently before he felt her lips on his cheek as Zay came over.

"We should get going." Gigi suggested, she couldn't believe it had worked.

Zay leaned in close to her as they were leaving the social hall, "I don't know how you did I, but you did. Think she'll really stay?"

"Yeah, they just gave themselves an excuse to be close to each other, and for her to stay."

Zay chuckled, "Maya is going to be impressed when I tell her about this."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, I just hope she doesn't tell her idiot husband Charlie where Riley is exactly, or we might have to deal with Dave showing up, and I don't know how _that_ ends." Zay felt the summer air against them, a buzz of energy swarming around them.

"It ends with Dave in New York with his boat, and Riley and Lucas married by November." Gigi giggled before running towards the car.

* * *

Lucas tried to pretend he was looking forward, Zay had jumped in the driver's seat, Gigi in the passenger seat, leaving him and Riley in the back.

He kept replaying that moment repeatedly in his mind, the sensation of her next to her, the buzz of energy that had filled him. The warmth of her arm around him. The feel of her lips pressed against his, oh the thoughts that were filling his mind after that were not the ones to be had in church.

He'd been stunned to feel her that close, he'd been focused on how to get away from Dixie without being rude. He saw that hungry look she had in her eyes, she always had it around him, at least since he'd returned from New York all those years ago, and with the Bachelor auction coming up on Tuesday night, she was very hungry to finally win him.

And then when Riley had declared herself his girlfriend he was sure Dixie wanted to scratch her eyes out, but the words had spread hope throughout his body, his soul.

Why?

Of all the things that could've escaped from her, why was that her answer in the moment? What even was that moment? He still wasn't sure.

She obviously hadn't thought of the ramifications of what she was doing. She would have to stay now. She couldn't up and leave, she couldn't go back to New York until after the election.

Lucas felt the smile trying to form on his lips.

She was staying.

Somehow, she'd just twisted herself into needing to stick around.

She'd have to at least in public pretend to be his girlfriend, to hold his hand, show affection.

Bid on him at the auction.

He felt his heartbeat pick up.

Last night, he'd been so close to kissing her, wondering if that intensity he was feeling around her was reciprocated, and after that brief kissing the social hall—he knew, he had his answer.

First, he had to go along with whatever crazy scheme she was cooking up, and he gladly would if it meant he got to spend time with her, if it meant he had to dance with her, take her out on horseback rides, do whatever he could to appear as a couple, while making her fall in love with him again.

Second, he had to wait out Dave. No way on earth did Dave feel a tenth of the intensity with Riley that he felt. The jackass gave her a cheap ring, and showed he had no idea what Riley liked, and he probably had no idea about the deepest thoughts and dreams she had. Yes, he knew that they might not be the same ones he'd known or understood when they were younger, but Lucas had a foundation.

This would be difficult though, part of him still wanted to carry her up to his bedroom and lock them in there for eternity.

They would have to have rules.

They would have to have boundaries.

He would also have time to find out why she was so angry at him, find out what he'd done to her, or maybe what he hadn't done?

God, she was beautiful, she was twisting her fingers together nervously, he knew what that meant, and all he wanted to do was grab her, hold her close, whisper in her ear so she could know this okay.

When Zay parked the car, he snapped out of the trance he was in.

"I'm going to get lunch started," Gigi was already getting out of the car, "You two should figure this out."

"Yeah, I'm going to go check on some…stuff." Zay went towards the barn while Gigi was already in the house.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, I really don't know what I was thinking, what came over me." The way the words rushed from Riley told Lucas that she'd been holding them in for at least part of the car ride.

"What's done is done." He unbuckled his seatbelt, moving just a little bit closer to her, "As far as the people of Rosewood Springs know you're my girlfriend, and I think that it wouldn't look right if my girlfriend ran off to New York while I'm running for mayor, right?"

"Right" her voice was tight.

"So" Lucas considered her eyes, "You've got to stay until after the election, we attend functions together, maybe stage an outing or two."

She furrowed her brow as she listened to him, "We'd have to kiss again, I mean be affectionate with each other, it would be all fake."

He was sure if he could hear pain in her voice he just had, "Do you think you can explain this to Dave?"

Riley closed her eyes, Dave, her fiancé, the man she was going to marry, because yes this would all be fake with Lucas. "He'll understand, he'll know what he needs to know."

"So, our new backstory, we got back in touch, felt that spark we had in high school huh?"

"I think that's what I said." She breathed, trying to ignore the tiny voice in the back of her mind begging for her to kiss him again.

"We'll work the details out later," It would be so easy to kiss her, really kiss her…not yet Lucas, not yet.

"I should um, call Maya, ask her to send me some stuff from my closet in New York. You know more jeans and stuff."

"Good idea, those short skirts of yours could only lead to trouble."

"Yeah shouldn't give anyone anymore to talk about than they need." She was searching his eyes, trying to read him.

Lucas pulled away, "You should call Maya, I'm going to check in with Zay, and um, after lunch you can figure out my look, and maybe we can see what stuff you've got that will work until Maya sends you what she can."

"That works." Riley went to move out of the car only to realize she was still buckled in. She quickly undid it before slipping out of the car.

Lucas watched her, she was staying for now, whatever was going to happen after this; well he would have to live with the outcome. But he hoped to God that outcome included Riley.


	10. -show me the way-

_**Author Note: I meant to get this done yesterday, but stuff happened and I ended up taking my laptop a part to fix it, but hey it seems to be working now so yay! Tonight (Saturday) is your last chance to enter the fanfic giveaway on tumblr, so if you do that would be awesome. You guys rock, xoxo.**_

* * *

 **-show me the way-**

"Yee-haw" Lucas hooted when he entered the barn where Zay had just ended a phone call.

Zay stared at his best friend, "Not the reaction I was expecting. Actually, I don't know what to expect."

Lucas grabbed Zay by the shoulders, "Riley is going to stay until at least after the election."

"At least?" Zay noted the way his green eyes seemed brighter than they had in a very long time. "After the election if you win or lose she's gone, she goes back to New York where she'll plan her wedding to Dave after giving him hell for getting her that cheap as shit ring."

"No" Lucas pointed to Zay as he backed away practically skipping, the smile on his face growing, "No, she is not going to marry Corn Chip Dave. He doesn't deserve her, no she's not pulled to him."

Zay rubbed his eyes with his fingers before pinching the bridge of his nose, "Okay, I'm missing something so spill."

"If Riley and I aren't together by the end of this, then we don't belong together, maybe I'm meant to be a piece of shit guy just getting blowjobs from random women and the occasional one night stand." Lucas looked around the bar, "But no; I am meant to be with Riley Matthews, she was brought back into my life for a fucking reason Zay."

"Yeah to get you elected mayor." Zay shook his head, "I called Smackle to arrange this."

"Of course, you did, but still, this is all happening for a reason Zay." Lucas ran his hand through his hair, "After all this time seeing her again, it' still there Zay, it's even more intense now, God last night I could've kissed her."

"She's engaged."

"For now," Lucas shrugged, "you didn't feel the way she claimed me in front of Dixie, that's what she did Zay. That wasn't some political move Zay, she was telling Dixie that I'm hers."

"Follow her lead" Zay warned, "Don't make a move on her first, don't scare her away. She _is_ engaged and its Riley, even if she was claiming you in front of Dixie. Don't break her heart again."

"I would never break Riley's heart." Lucas reminded his best friend, of course he meant it, not realizing that he had in the past.

"Seriously Lucas, I will beat the living life out of you if you break her heart, if you do anything that would hurt her. This isn't a game, this is her heart and yours." Zay warned him, "This isn't about fulfilling some sex fantasy you have. If it's possible that you and Riley have a future this is about the two of you loving each other, building a life together, possibly having children together. You need to find out if that's even something the both of you want. But hey you've got until November."

Lucas nodded knowing that Zay was right, he couldn't push it, that this was so much more than anything he was used to now. Things with Riley always had been, they were more, in ways he wasn't sure he could ever describe.

* * *

Maya had just gotten off the phone with Zay and was sitting down on her couch when her phone sang with Riley's ring gone, "Hey Honey, what's up."

" _I did something really stupid Maya, like really stupid. I can't even believe I did it."_

Maya looked around even though she knew Charlie wasn't home she still felt the need to check, "Did you have sex with Lucas?"

" _No" Riley breathed, "I um, I kind of went and staked my claim on him."_

"What did you do?" Maya stood up pacing around, knowing her husband was due home any minute and he might just have Dave with him.

" _We were at church, it was after the service. Lucas was mingling and talking to Dixie Carmichael, one of those girls in those pictures all those years ago, oh you should've seen the way she looked at Lucas. She looked as if given the chance she would strip him naked, dip him in chocolate and lick every inch of him."_

"And you of course have never thought about doing that." Maya smirked to herself as she moved to the kitchen raking out a few items from the fridge to make a sandwich.

" _Maya," Riley ignored the comment, "I moved across the social hall, slid right up to Lucas, put my arm around him and said I was his girlfriend and sticking around. Then I kissed him."_

"It was good, wasn't it?" She couldn't believe after all these years these two were still such fools.

" _Yes, and it was brief, part of me just wants to walk up to him and kiss him again, let whatever happens, happen."_

Maya shook her head, "Have you told Dave what you're up to?"

" _Not exactly, there's more Maya."_

"What else could there be?"

" _Well I kind of have to stick around and be his girlfriend publicly since you know it wouldn't look good if he makes his run for mayor and I run back off to New York."_

Maya quickly pumped her fist in the air in joy, "So you have to stay until after the election huh, okay I'll um go by your place later today get you some more Texas friendly clothes, anything else you want me to get for you?"

 _Riley sighed, "I don't know, anything you see in my room you think I might need over the next few months. For sure though, please send me some of my cotton tank tops, it's getting hotter here each day."_

"I will, so crazy question, what are you going to tell Dave?"

" _I don't know, just that this is a complicated small town situation, that I need to be here, be hands on, and if I can get away for a weekend or a couple of days I'll come back to New York, but right now I need to be in Texas."_

Maya was smirking as she finished making a sandwich, "Okay, sounds like a plan, just text me the address to send your stuff to and I'll have it sent as quickly as possible."

" _Thank you, I should go see if Gigi needs help with lunch and then help Lucas with his wardrobe."_

"Riley, you're playing with fire, don't get burned."

" _I know what I'm doing." Riley assured her friend, "Thank you and bye."_

"Bye" Maya watched as the call ended on her screen, "Yeah you'll be crying out yee-haw before you know it."

The door opened, Charlie came in with their two children following behind, but quickly running to their own room, "Maya guess who is officially going to be Dave's best man when he and Riley get married in November."

"They haven't set a date yet." Maya reminded her husband, "And she's currently busy working on a new campaign."

"Dave set a date, he talked to a wedding planner." Charlie tried to grab the sandwich and Maya swatted his hand.

"He's counting his chickens before they hatch, Riley is going to want to plan her own wedding."

"He's doing this to help her." Charlie grabbed an apple from the counter, "He knows how busy she is, and that sometimes she can't get back to New York to make the plans she needs to."

"Great he can get her a wedding band she's allergic to as well." Maya muttered.

Charlie either didn't hear her or decided to ignore it for whatever reason, "Oh, you should see his new boat Maya, it's more like a mini yacht. It's sick, it's beautiful, and it has bedrooms, so one weekend we can leave the kids with my Mom and go sailing with Dave and Riley for an overnight."

Maya stopped what she was doing, "He bought a new boat?" huh probably where the money he was going to spend on a ring went, "What did he name it?"

Charlie chuckled, "Tostitos, he thinks its good luck to name it after his favorite chips."

"I have to run an errand, actually it's for Riley." She grabbed half the sandwich, "I'll be back in a few hours."

"What does Riley need you to do?" Charlie picked up the half she left behind.

Maya grabbed her purse and was already at the door when she looked back to her husband, "She wanted me to send her a few things since she doesn't know when she'll be back in the city."

"Where the hell is she?" He took a bite of the sandwich as he watched his wife at the door.

"Riley is exactly where she needs to be." She left the apartment, wondering more and more why her best friend had ever accepted Dave's proposal in the first place, and what she could do to help her friend make the right decision about her future.

If what Zay had told her was true, right now it was possible that the only thing really holding Riley and Lucas back, was Dave being her fiancé.

An idea hit, Maya knew she would probably get yelled at for what she was about to do, but Riley needed a push, and maybe if she was lucky it would give Lucas the push as well.

* * *

"Gigi is a great cook." Riley told Lucas as they stood outside his bedroom, the air thick with nervous energy, as if she would cross the threshold and all semblance of self-control would be gone.

Lucas nodded, "She is, she's actually been pretty helpful to have around." He opened the door, "So where should we start?"

"Um, well what's an average day like for you, like what do you wear?" She stayed near the door afraid to really enter his room.

"Jeans, a t-shirt and a plaid button up over it. I usually do some work here at the ranch with our animals, and then I go check my schedule, make house calls in the morning before going to the office to see the smaller animals." He looked to her with a soft smile, "Riley, you can come in here."

"And you wore almost a full suit for church." She took a couple of steps in, his room, his sanctuary, his bed.

"Well we're not fancy like in the city." He watched her, "I have suits of course, mostly for conferences, weddings, the bachelor auction."

"If they have a good fit, you should be fine. Um ties, are they in this drawer?" Riley started to pull his sock drawer open.

"No" Lucas dashed across the room, "That's um socks."

"Oh sorry" she tried to read him, but she was sure she saw a panic wash over him, that couldn't be possible.

"Ties are in the closet, sorry if I scared you."

Riley reached up, her thumb rubbing over his chin, "You have never scared me in that way."

"In what way then have I scared you?"

She'd opened the door to this, she had to be honest with him, "The intensity of my feelings for you when we were younger, it terrified me."

"Do you love Dave with that same kind of intensity?" She couldn't, could she?

Riley was sure for a moment he was pleading, begging to know something, "Dave is different, Dave is, well Dave."

"So, you don't feel an intensity with Dave, that you feel with me?"

"You were my first Lucas, that kind of intensity doesn't exist with anyone else." She moved away feeling herself getting drawn into him as she went through the door into his bathroom. She paused for a moment when she saw the giant tub in the corner with a bay window that looked out at the property, the walk-in shower right next to the closet which she forced herself to walk into, and ignore the fantasies that were already filling her mind.

Lucas watched as she took in his bathroom, he knew it was a bit much for just him, but he would never tell a living soul this, when he had it redone a few years before he'd thought about what she might like. He hadn't thought he'd never see her again, and yet now she was in his closet studying his ties.

"These should be your go to ties for now."

"Great, wonderful." He watched her, "So about your clothes, what have you got that's appropriate for hanging out on a ranch in Texas?"

"I guess it depends on what kind of work you're going to put me to." She teased, feeling her cheeks flush.

"Well City Girl, I think if you really want to help out we could find something for you here and there. I mean you're going to have to be helping me with the campaign right, _girlfriend?_ " He'd moved closer to her, wishing her could touch her—really touch her.

"True, but I can still cook, take some of the burden off of Gigi for a while, maybe do some laundry." She caught herself getting lost in his eyes, sure she was seeing smoldering fire of desire before she blinked, knowing how easy it would be to reach up, unbutton his shirt, expose his chest, "You know, whatever I can do to help out."

Lucas could think of a million things she could do to help, and none of them had to do with cooking, laundry, and everything with being naked in his bed, calling out his name. "You don't just have those short skirts, do you?"

"Maya is sending me some more stuff, I never had a chance to pack for Texas, I was packed for Hollywood." She licked her lips, feeling as if the closet was growing ten degrees. "What's wrong with my skirts?"

"Nothing" His voice was thick, needy as his fingers ran through her hair, tangling with her soft curls as his lips crashed down on hers and her body clung to him, feeling him lift her up, carrying her to the bed.

"Riley, Riley?" Lucas snapped her fingers "You okay?"

"Yeah I um, spaced out, it's really hot in this closet." She pushed past him sure she audibly gasped at how hard his chest, "Um the stuff Maya is sending me actually should be here tomorrow afternoon if she uses the service I asked her to."

"That will be good, if she um doesn't send you what you need Austin really isn't that far for some real shopping, I doubt you'd want to hit up the Wal-Mart."

"The Wal-Mart would be fine Lucas" She smiled, "I don't need labels, just something that fits, that I'm comfortable wearing. The only thing I'm really picky about is jewelry and only because of my allergy."

Lucas nodded, "Good to know Ri, good to know."

"That's my phone." She could hear the ringtone from down the hall, "We can finish or whatever later."

"Of course," Lucas watched her leave, he hung on the door, part of him wanting to bash his head between it and the frame.

It was great that she was staying, but what exactly was he going to do now? What could he do to show her that he was the man for her, that she was the woman for him?

Dates! He'd have to take her out to dinner one in a while, or to the movies, all sorts of things they used to do when they were really dating. People wouldn't believe they were a couple if they didn't see them together. Hell, maybe he would even take her to a scary movie so she would grab his hand, maybe that action, that touch would unlock something, anything, everything.

He pulled his phone out from his back pocket looking up movie times at the theater, he saw one he knew she would enjoy, well unless she was over her crush on Chris Evans. He went down the hall knocking gently on the door.

"Hey, what's up?" She was just putting the phone down.

"I um realized this whole people thinking you're my girlfriend thing probably works best if people see us on dates, right?"

"I guess, I mean we really can't stay here all the time, people would think we were just having sex all the time or something." Had she just said that? She wished she could understand what was coming out of her mouth around him.

Lucas had to remind himself to breathe, "Um yeah, so the new Chris Evans is playing at the Rialto tonight, and I thought we could go see it, and really be seen together."

"Not fair Lucas, you know I can't say no to a Chris Evans movie." She smiled, amazed he remembered that, he seemed to remember almost everything, except their night together. But why?

"Great, it starts at seven-twenty, so we should leave here at six-thirty."

"That's great, casual attire, jeans and t-shirts kind of thing."

"Yeah, oh a hoodie, the theatre tends to blast the AC, so I remember you get cold easily."

"That would be something I don't have with me." She shrugged.

Lucas smiled, "I've got an extra one, don't worry. We'll go after dinner, it's just you and me again tonight, Zay and Gigi are working again."

"Okay, I'm going to get some stuff done, we can make dinner in a little bit."

"Great, I'll see you in a couple of hours." He backed away, returning to his room and going into his closet.

It wasn't full, barely half way filled. Which made what he was looking for easy to find. Over the years, he'd never been able to get rid of it. He'd worn it the first few weeks he was back in Texas until his mother washed it, with it she washed away the last hint of Riley's scent, sweet and fruity. It had spent a lot of time deep in his closet, it probably didn't even fit him now.

Abigail Adams Baseball adorned the front of the hoodie in block letters. He remembered her wearing it when she would get cold on a summer night as they sat on her roof top looking for a hint of stars. She probably didn't remember it, but he did. He remembered so much that she'd probably forgotten, let first to the back of her mind as new boyfriends took over.

He gripped the hoodie in his hands, maybe she would start to remember, start to fall in love with him again.

He grabbed the one he usually wore, his old Texas A&M one that had seen better days, and he should probably replace it.

As he looked at the two of them, he wondered if she could ever love him again. If she could ever open herself up to him. No matter what happened Lucas Friar wasn't going down without a fight for Riley's heart, and he was going to prove to her that he was worth it, that he would always be worth it.


	11. -I hope you understand-

**-I hope you understand-**

Lucas had changed into jeans and a t-shirt, he grabbed the hoodies before he went downstairs, already smelling dinner from the kitchen, finding Riley putting together a meal from the leftovers they had from the night before.

He watched her for a moment, she had her jeans on, a purple t-shirt, her hair was down, loose not styled, just her natural curls.

What he wouldn't give to be able to walk up behind her, place his hand on her hips, brush her hair away from her neck with his other hand and kiss the back of her neck, feeling her quiver with pleasure at his touch.

"Hey" She smiled when she saw him, "I just threw a few things together. You know I kind of miss cooking, I don't do it that often. I usually end up in a hotel and at tons of different dinners to collect money from donors, this is nice."

"I'm glad you think so, if you're here for long you might not after a while." He put the hoodies down on a chair, "Thank you for putting this together."

"It's nothing major." She handed him a plate, "Mostly reheating."

God, he wanted to kiss her, screw the movies, let him make love to her all night long, but he couldn't, no he couldn't jeopardize her future, if Dave makes her happy, then who was Lucas to get in the way of that.

A man who could make her a million times happier than Corn Chip Dave.

"So, does Dave watch Chris Evans movies with you?"

"Sometimes, when we have time we'll both stream the same movie or TV show." Riley explained, "Sometimes it's easier to do that kind of stuff when I'm away, which is a lot of the time."

Lucas nodded as if he understood, he didn't. How could Dave spend so much time away from Riley, wouldn't he want to be with her as much as possible?

"I mean when we're in the city together, we're just so jampacked with dinners, and family stuff we have to do the catch up with everyone. Thank God for Maya and Charlie, without them our date nights would be filled with lawyers and politicians."

"I always thought that Maya and your Uncle Josh were going to end up together, what happened?"

"Josh and Maya, they were friends, they are friends, but they've never been at the same place emotionally at the same time. And one day, Maya and Charlie got put together on a project for class, and next thing you know he's got the big ask going for Prom, and they've been together ever since, two kids now."

"And Josh, did he find someone?"

"He's dating one of the teachers at Abigail Adams, where he is also a teacher, so he gets to hang out with my Dad, a lot. It's good for them, I think." Riley smiled pushing her hair behind her ear, "What about Gigi, she hasn't mentioned any guys, is their one she's got her eye on?"

"If there is she hasn't mentioned it to me or Zay." Lucas sighed, "I mean she dated this kid in high school Tyler, but he went off to school in California I think. I don't know if it was ever serious between them."

"What even is serious between two people in high school?" Her heart raced, knowing that she had felt they were serious, more serious than they probably ever realized.

"We were serious." He looked up, "Life had other plans I guess."

"I guess so." She took a final sip of her water, "We should probably get going."

"You're right." He took her plate to the sink along with his, rinsing them before loading them in the dishwasher, "I um, I grabbed a hoodie for you."

"Thank you." She smiled before he handed her the old sports gray hoodie with the familiar print, "You still have this? I loved wearing this."

"I know, I remembered." He put his hand on the small of her back as they moved to leave the house.

"I can't believe you still have this."

"I'll be honest, it's been in my closet for ages, I um wore it like every day the first few weeks I was back here, but then it," he stopped himself, "It um felt weird, especially when I made the team here to wear this."

Riley hugged the hoodie close, remembering the nights sitting on her fire escape or roof looking up at the sky void of stars thanks to the light pollution of the city, but remembering the feel of Lucas' arms around her.

Lucas put the radio on while they drove into town. Cheerful country songs played, nothing holding any memories thankfully as they pulled into the parking lot for the theater.

"Nice" Riley commented as she looked at the newer structure.

"Well we're a small town, but we love movies around here, so they upgraded it about five years ago," Lucas explained as he pulled on his own hoodie, watching Riley out of the corner of his eye as she pulled on the one he'd given her.

"How about I get the tickets and you get the snacks." Riley suggested as they walked into the building.

"That works for me. Do you need corn chips?"

Riley rolled her eyes, "Popcorn and,"

"Chocolate." He smiled as he moved towards the snack counter to place the order.

"Lucas it's great to see you again" the voice was as thick as syrup and he cringed as he heard it.

"Hi Dixie." He didn't turn around.

"So, you all alone?" She tried to hide her smile at the thought.

"No, Riley is getting the tickets." He accepted his card from the concessionaire, slipping it into his wallet as he grabbed the small popcorn and box of chocolate, along with the large Cherry Coke.

"Hey honey" Riley came up to him, kissing his cheek, "Oh hi again, Dixie, right?"

Dixie frowned, ugh this New York bitch, "Hi, what are you seeing?"

"The new Chris Evans." Riley slipped her arm around Lucas trying to ignore the heat she felt from him.

Dixie took the sight of them in, trying not to roll her eyes, "My Grandmother loves Chris Evans; nice hoodie, bring it from New York?"

"Actually, Lucas had it waiting for me." Riley smiled, not knowing just how true those words were.

Dixie couldn't believe that Lucas would be interested in this woman, was this what he wanted, some stuck up New Yorker? "Well enjoy, I heard it got awful reviews." She was about to leave when she stopped and turned to Lucas, "I hope Gigi has been saving all her pennies, because I have, and I plan on giving her a real run for her money at the auction."

"I think Gigi is sitting this year out, Riley will be bidding on me."

Dixie scoffed, "Is that so, well we'll see if the best woman wins the good Doctor here this year."

Riley stepped forward having put a few pieces together, "Dixie, don't worry, I will."

Dixie's nostrils flared for a moment before she walked away too angry to say anything else.

"I don't like her" Riley confessed as they moved towards the theater.

"I can tell, it's weird she comes around and you get all, never mind."

"I get all what?"

Lucas smirked, "Pearl Harbor." Before leading her into the theater to find seats.

Pearl Harbor, what on earth did that mean? Riley tried to place it as they sat down, she automatically pulled the armrest up that was between them.

Lucas watched as she tried to figure out what he meant, he knew it wasn't an obvious statement, and she would protest it once she figured it out.

"Lucas" Riley said softly, turning towards him, "Look at me as if I'm the only woman you have ever wanted to make love to, the woman you want to marry."

Lucas smiled nervously, looking at her the way he did when she wasn't watching, "Why?" he breathed softly.

Riley gazed into his eyes, amazed at how easily he pulled this off as she reached up to caress his cheek with the backs of her fingers before kissing him. It was slow, soft, as she let herself have this moment. Feeling him run his fingers into her hair as he held her in the kiss. She pulled away, "Dixie was watching."

"She'll probably watch more of us than the movie." He put his arm around her, encouraging her to rest her head on his shoulder, God he'd missed this.

Riley reached for the soda taking a sip, "Cherry Coke, you remembered."

"Of course, how could I forget?" he looked down at her, those brown eyes, everything he wanted in the world, every secret he'd ever had were held in them, "Riley, I…"

"Sneak attack." She blurted out, "Missy, that's what you meant by Pearl Harbor, isn't it?"

"Maybe." He shrugged as the coming attractions began.

The movie played and they made their way quickly through the popcorn and chocolate mixed together. Somewhere during the middle of the movie, Riley slipped her hand into the kangaroo pocket of his hoodie the way she used to when they were dating. Lucas was sure she didn't even realize she did it as he played with her hair as they watched the movie.

This was too easy, the way they could fall into these moments. Maybe it was easy for a reason, because this was exactly where they were meant to be together. Or it was easy in a way to test them, test their resolve.

Lucas didn't know how much longer her could hold on to what resolve he had. She would break him, and she wouldn't even be trying to that which was the real kicker.

When the movie was over they gathered their trash, "Hey you want to check out the Wild Z?"

"I would love to, I'm curious to really see it. I mean I've seen pictures on Instagram and stuff, but you know I would love to see it in person." She told him as they ventured outside into the summer air.

He put his arm around her as they walked down the street, Riley stopped him as they got outside of Zay's bar, "Hand me your phone."

"Why?" He pulled it out from his pocket.

"We're doing the couple thing and taking a selfie." She told him before she felt him lift her up the way he used to whenever she wanted to take a selfie with him. He was stronger how, she could feel it in his large hands. She snapped a shot of her smiling, hiding her face against his neck.

She for a second thought about not posting it, but no she took it for the sole purpose of doing so. She quickly typed a caption and posted it.

"What happens if Dave sees that?" Lucas slid his phone into his back pocket, already making the mental note to print out a copy of that picture as soon as he could.

"Well he never goes on Instagram, and he would have to be following you, which I've been on his account—he had me post a picture of his boat for him once. All he follows are corn chip companies and boat accounts." She tried not to roll her eyes, but it happened none the less.

Lucas filed that away, perhaps things were not as peachy between Riley and Dave as he thought. Then again how could they after that cheap ring Dave gave her.

Riley was surprised how busy the Wild Z was on a Sunday night.

"Not a lot to do in town, it's movies or the bar." Lucas leaned into her, "It's not as wild as a Saturday night, but also the college kids are home, so you know they've got a totally different schedule then all us actual adults."

Riley giggled, "Gosh, this is amazing. Zay did all of this?"

"Gigi helped, she's studying interior design, she's got a great eye."

"She really does" Riley followed Lucas to the bar.

Zay was mixing a batch of margaritas when he looked up and saw Riley and Lucas, "What are you two doing here?"

"We just got out from the new Chris Evans movie, thought we could come and check this place out." Riley sat on a barstool with Lucas next to her.

Zay smirked, "Riley I ordered something special for you, give me a minute and I'll get you a glass."

"What nothing special for me?" Lucas feigned feeling hurt.

Zay rolled his eyes as he came back and grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge, "You see Lucas, I know a little secret about our girl Riley here. She loves one wine above all others. She'll drink other, but this is the one that will _always_ bring a smile to her face."

Riley hid her face in her hands, "You didn't."

"I did." Zay put the lass in front of her before pouring the pink, bubbly wine for her.

"What is that?" Lucas tried to see the bottle but he couldn't see the label.

"Pink Moscato" Riley smiled, "It's sweet, peachy, bubbly…"

"So, it's the Riley of wines." Lucas watched as she blushed as he pushed her hair away from her face before he kissed her gently, a short one, "Dixie just came in."

"Gosh it's almost as if she's just waiting to catch us not acting like a couple." Riley gazed into his eyes, noticing a softness she hadn't seen since they were in high school as Zay placed a beer in front of Lucas."

"Well, I guess she's just going to have to wait until November." Lucas smiled.

Riley blinked, "Um yeah, November."

Gigi came up to Zay, her eyes on her brother and Riley, "What are they doing?"

"Gazing into each other's stupid eyes." He chuckled, he couldn't believe these two idiots, his best friends were going to trick themselves into falling in love with each other all over again.

* * *

"Smooth move Friar." Maya giggled to herself as she scrolled through Instagram, double tapping the image before scrolling on. The kids were in bed, Charlie was working on something in the living room while she went into the kitchen.

"What's so interesting on your phone." Charlie came into the kitchen, grabbing a juice from the fridge.

"Oh, just this picture of this sickeningly sweet couple." Maya waved it off, "So Dave is really planning his and Riley's wedding?"

"Yeah he wants them to get married on the new boat." Charlie shrugged it off.

Maya put her phone on the counter before getting something down from a cabinet, "Has he told Riley about the new boat?"

"I think he wanted to surprise her when she gets back."

Maya shook her head, "That woman is probably never coming back."

"What, what does that mean Maya?"

"Nothing, I just mean she's got a new client to consult and before you know it she might be back for what a week if that before she's off to the next one." Maya opened the jar and took a handful of trail mix. "I guess I still haven't warmed up to the idea of Riley and Dave."

"They're getting married Maya, she's your best friend, he's my best friend. Just think we're going to see them all the time, all those couple vacations we'll get to enjoy on that nice boat."

"It's a yacht," Maya rolled her eyes, "And where would the kids being during these great couple vacations?"

"My mom loves to take them whenever she can." Charlie reminded Maya as she left the room.

"I'll keep that in mind, I'm off to bed, the kids and I have a busy day tomorrow." She called to him.

"I'll be in, in a few minutes." Charlie called out as he picked up her phone to put it on the charger. He was checking to see how full the battery was when he saw the picture she'd just liked.

Was that Lucas Friar? More importantly was that Riley Matthews cuddled up to him?

Charlie pulled out his own phone, looking up the account on his, and stared for a moment. If he was just scrolling mindlessly he might think it was a picture from years ago, except it was obvious that Riley and Lucas were grown adults.

He clicked share, sending the post to Dave.

 _No idea what's going on, why is Riley with Lucas Friar? I thought she was working on a new campaign. I'm sorry buddy._

Charlie felt a wave of guilt as he put his own phone on the charger, wondering if maybe he hadn't just done something to hurt his best friend, or even worse bring on the wrath of his wife.


	12. -coolest thing I ever felt-

_**Author Note: So how about that movie date huh? I'm going to try and get one more chapter out this week, and also hopefully the one-shot for the winner of the fanfic giveaway so keep your eyes open for that.**_

* * *

 **-coolest thing I ever felt-**

"So, my big brother and Riley, they were awfully cozy for two people just pretending to date, don't you think?" Gigi is wiping down the bar now that they were closed for the night.

Zay was going over the credit card information for the evening, "That's how they used to be when they were actually dating."

"Do you think Dave is really an issue, a roadblock?" Gigi looked around thankful they would be done soon.

"I think Dave is a speedbump." Zay looked up, feeling his breath hitch as he saw the way the neon lights glowed over her body, "Um, I uh think that Riley and Lucas just need to talk. Clear the air about things. Like they're still mad at each other for different things, and they need to talk about it."

"Riley is the one, isn't she?"

"As in the one for your brother, yes."

"If Dave isn't the roadblock for Lucas and Riley, what or who is?" Gigi grabbed her purse and pulled her hair down shaking it free.

Zay closed his eyes for a moment, trying to ignore the memory of her lips on his, the night before, "Riley and Lucas are and always will be their biggest roadblock."

"How so?" She took her keys out to unlock the front door for her and Zay to leave through before locking it while they stood on the sidewalk.

"They get scared, they run and stop talking to each other." Zay walked her to his truck, "When they stop talking, that's when fear and insecurity takes over. It happened when Riley thought Lucas liked Maya, it happened when you all moved back to Texas, and whatever it was that happened in Vegas as well."

"We could always just lock them in a room together." Gigi suggested as they got in the truck.

Zay chuckled, "I'm not so sure about that."

"We'll keep it as a last resort." Gigi sighed as the engine started the local country station filled the cab with music. "Zay," she spoke as the song ended and they were out of town.

"Yes Gigi?" He was nervous, he wasn't sure what she was thinking about, he kept waiting for her to bring up the kiss from the night before.

"Was there ever a girl like Riley for you, I mean someone you dated in New York that you left behind?"

"No, I didn't have much luck with the ladies until college." He confessed, "Well I had that thing with Vanessa years ago, but still."

"You and Vanessa, really?" Gigi cringed, "She's like so old though."

"She's the same age I am." Zay chuckled, "But I guess being a mom to three kids already probably makes her seem old to you."

"Yeah, I guess." Gigi remained silent the rest of the way home, when they pulled up into the driveway she looked at the house, "Hmm, both are restless, look they each have lights on."

"Well it must be difficult to sleep after you spend the night pretending your dating the love of your life." Zay parked the truck.

"You really think they're the loves of each other's lives?"

"I've thought it since Lucas was torn up over Riley in the eighth grade, I've known it since they finally got together in the ninth grade."

Gigi stayed in her seat looking up at the two rooms with their lights on, "I wonder what that feels like."

"You'll know it someday Gi, when the right guy comes along." Zay quickly got out of the truck, suddenly afraid of where this conversation was going to go.

Gigi got out, chasing after Zay, "What are you afraid of?"

He could list a lot of things he was afraid of, "Gigi, you are Lucas' younger sister. I've known you basically your whole life."

"So?"

"So, you're a kid, you have a whole life to live."

"And what does that make you? An old man set in his ways?"

"Yeah, exactly." Zay went into the house, afraid to look back, knowing if he saw how much he hurt her just now, he'd give in to everything he was fighting.

* * *

Riley heard Zay and Gigi return, hoping that neither of them knocked on her door. She didn't want to talk about why she was still awake.

Kissing Lucas, curling up to him during the movie, talking to him at the bar, it was all too easy. That terrified her.

It felt too real.

There was also this nagging voice in the back of her mind telling her to just go and knock on his door, kiss him, undress him, do everything she'd ever fantasized about doing with him, even if it took years to do everything.

She should be missing Dave, shouldn't she?

She should be thinking about him laying next to her, about him touching her, about him kissing her with every ounce of passion possible.

But it wasn't him who consumed her thoughts, if she could be honest with herself for just a few seconds in the depth of the night, Lucas had always consumed her romantic thoughts, fantasies, hopes, everything, even when she had other boyfriends, they all got compared to Lucas.

Even with how things ended, even with him not coming to the chapel not a single man came close to him.

She had to find closure with Lucas, it was the only way she could move on with Dave.

He was her future, he was her stability.

Then why did she get so possessive of Lucas when she saw him talking to Dixie? Why did she never feel that bubble up when Dave was with other women?

Why did Lucas Friar have this pull over her? He'd already hurt her, why was she opening herself up this way to get hurt yet again?

Because one thing she knew for sure was that Lucas would break her heart again if she didn't protect herself.

* * *

Lucas had spent most of the night pacing his bedroom, Riley was jealous of other women. She'd released her primal need to show other women that he belonged to her.

But she was still engaged to Dave.

He'd lost count how many times he'd thrown his door open, ready to storm down the hall to go to her room, to kiss her and not holdback, to kiss her until she forgot all about Corn Chip Dave.

To make love to her until sunrise, to please her in ways he was sure no other man ever had or ever could.

But something kept stopping him.

Fear.

He was afraid he could make the move and she would reject him. How many times had Riley crushed his heart already?

Could he really open himself up to that happening again?

He flopped down on the bed, closing his eyes, begging his body to let him sleep.

To give him a few hours where his brain wasn't fighting with his heart.

He tossed and turned. He paced around the room, opening his sock drawer, taking the ring, wondering if she would ever allow him to place it on her finger. He put it back before going over to his nightstand, pulling out his Bible, hoping maybe a passage would give him clarity.

As he opened the pages an envelope fell out. He picked it up, studying the faded lip print from a night a lifetime ago of a woman he couldn't remember other than flashes.

He held the note, looking at the handwriting, something was comforting about it. He held it up to the light, noticing for the first time inside the envelope was another piece of paper.

He could open this, solve one mystery. He could maybe find out the name of the woman he called princess, the woman who moaned his name in a way that sent a shiver down his spine. He could remember the woman who ran her tongue over his chest, who looked up at him with brown eyes.

Brown eyes.

He hadn't remembered that before.

He could remember her long brown hair—the same shade as Riley's. He could remember the way her curves looked against the light from the strip glowing in the room.

He could remember her tattoo on her right hip. Small, the size of dime, pink.

Lucas sat up, that tattoo, he'd seen the same logo recently. Running his hand through his hair he looked towards the wall that separated him and Riley.

She'd had it on her t-shirt a few nights ago, her sorority.

His mind was teasing him with his desires for the woman next door, the only woman he'd ever loved. Now it was letting him think it could've been Riley.

God, he wished it had been Riley.

He looked at the empty space in the bed next to him, wondering what she looked like sleeping, would her hair fan out, or would it be piled on her hair in a messy bun.

He grabbed his phone, pulling up Instagram, he scrolled through years' worth of pictures of animals and the ranch before he found it.

Riley…she'd been there, could she have been the girl?

He looked at the note again, would Riley leave him a note and not say goodbye?

"Only one way to know" he told himself as he stared at the note he'd kept for years when most men would've thrown it away.

His phone rang and he saw the number, "Dr. Friar" he answered, as he listened to Camilla Harrison tell him the issue her dog was having. "I'll be there as soon as I can, don't worry, just keep him comfortable and calm."

He quickly changed, dropping the note back in his Bible and tucking it away for now.


	13. -I wish you had sunglasses on-

_**Author Note: If only Lucas had read that note at the end of the last chapter, am I right? So close, but oh so far.**_

* * *

 **-I wish you had sunglasses on-**

Riley was up early, she had Lucas' paperwork all put together so he could officially register, she had the designs for his flyers, banners, signs, pins, all ready to go. She sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee, hoping it would keep her going for at least most of the day.

She hadn't slept at all.

Every single time she'd gotten close Lucas filled her thoughts. She was starting to get lost in fantasies of him kissing her neck, undressing her. After she took a shower that didn't help clear her mind, if anything it led to even steamier thoughts of him she decided to put her energy into working on the campaign.

"Morning" Lucas came in, freshly showered, dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and a plaid shirt thrown over but unbuttoned. "How'd you sleep last night?" He'd seen her light still on when he left for the emergency house call.

"I didn't" she confessed before she could stop herself, "But um, I was working on all of this. Your paperwork is filled out, these are the designs for the flyers and such. Where did you go to so late, or was it early?"

"House call, Camilla's dog was sick, she should be fine, but better to be cautious then careless." He watched her, wondering if she'd had trouble sleeping for the same reason he had before he looked over the designs, "These look great, thank you Riley."

"Just doing my job." She took a long sip of coffee, why did he smell so good, so delicious, why was he so close to her right now that she could feel his body heat, his body vibrations.

"So, what do we do now?"

Riley could think of a million things they could do right now, but she snapped out of that daze just before answering, "Um, I need to find a print shop that can get all of this stuff printed up. You need to files these today, meet me at city hall at eleven."

"Yeah, okay, I should be back from house calls by then." He watched as she started to gather her things, "Are you okay?"

"Just ready to get to work making you the next mayor of this town."

"Okay, I'll see you at eleven then." He went to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"Yes, you will." She went out the backdoor, hugging her laptop to her body as she went to her car. She sat behind the wheel for a moment, her hands shaking, wondering how she was going to get through another day around him, let alone make it all the way until November.

Lucas watched her drive away, he'd found a way for her to stay, hell she'd given it to him. She couldn't be oblivious to how easily they connected, how if they let themselves a fire would ignite between them that couldn't be put out.

Or was that exactly what she was afraid of?

Why had she been outside his room the other night?

He had to get answers to his questions.

As he took a sip of his coffee, feeling it warm his tired body it hit him. After he filed the paperwork, he would take her to lunch. Sure, the only real option was Casey's Diner, but he just had to do what he could to remove every brick one by one of the wall between them. He had to find out why that wall existed as high as it was.

* * *

Riley had a productive morning, she got an order set to print all the materials for the campaign. She had the press release set to send out as soon as Lucas turned in his paperwork, and she had the new social media accounts ready to go.

She was sitting outside city hall, reading her messages from Dave. They were all about the surprise he had for her when she got back to New York, she could feel the guilt knotting in her stomach, mixing with the batch of dread-filled butterflies swarming around as well.

"Hey, you ready to make this official?" Lucas had sat beside her, his arm around her while she'd been lost in her thoughts.

She blinked, "What?" her heart racing.

"The running for mayor thing." He smiled before planting a quick kiss on her forehead, 'What else would I be talking about?"

"Sorry" She waved her hand like it wasn't a big deal, "I was spacing out, reading messages from Dave."

Lucas felt his entire body stiffen, his jaw tight, "Oh, well let's get this going." He could feel his jealousy simmering through his body. He needed to find a way to keep it in check.

"Yeah let's." Riley rose from the bench, digging in her bag for his paperwork, "Here you go."

Lucas took the file as they went up the steps, he took a moment and found the clerk's office. "Hi Mrs. Miller, how are you today?"

Riley took a quick picture on her phone of him, casual still, but it was perfect for the social media accounts.

"Why Dr. Friar" The older woman smiled when she saw him, and then even brighter when she saw Riley with him, "What can I do for you?"

Lucas looked down at the file, "I would like to file these."

Mrs. Miller took the paperwork, "Marriage License?"

"No" Lucas looked to Riley, "Not yet, actually I'm going to run for mayor."

"Oh well let me get this all approved for you." Mrs. Miller quickly went over the paperwork, "Looks to be in order."

"Wonderful" Lucas kept his eyes on Riley who was looking down at her phone.

Mrs. Miller couldn't help but notice the way Lucas was looking at Riley, "Only $81, just a three day wait to get married."

"Now Mrs. Miller, Riley and I just got back together. I think we should wait a little while before I pop the question, don't you?" He'd leaned forward so Riley couldn't hear.

Mrs. Miller noticed the way Riley would glance at him, "Fine, but you're just putting off the inevitable, I'll see you here in what September, October, to get one."

"I sure hope so." Lucas signed the document Mrs. Miller passed to him.

"Well it's official Lucas, you're running for mayor, good luck with everything."

"Thanks Mrs. Miller, I'll see you Friday right, Fluffernutter is scheduled for his shots."

"Yeah, I'll see you then Doc."

Riley smiled as she watched the exchange before he came over to her, "All set?"

"Yeah, unless you want to get a marriage license for us. That's what Mrs. Miller thought we were here for."

Riley blushed, "Yes well I don't plan on wasting money on another one of those." She'd realized what she said, but knew he didn't seem to know.

Lucas studied her, "You and Dave already got one?"

"No, not yet, we haven't even set a date." She reminded him as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder.

"Good" Lucas put his hand on the small of her back, "Let's get lunch."

Riley tried to ignore the flood of warmth, of energy she felt from his touch, "I was just going to go back to the house."

"I'm taking you out, come on." Lucas guided her out of the building, "Come on, trust me."

Riley sighed, "Fine."

Lucas took her hand, feeling the warmth spread through his body, "I mean we've got limited options, but quality over quantity am I right?"

"Right" Riley followed him into the diner which was starting to get busy as he led her to a booth towards the back, "Okay Friar, what are you up to?"

"Taking my favorite girl out for lunch." He told her honestly.

"Shouldn't that be Gigi then?" She looked over the menu.

"She's my sister but you're my favorite." He was trying to tell her, was she really going to wear him down to having to say the words.

Before Riley could reply a waitress came to take their order.

"So," Lucas looked out the window to the street, "Um, what is your schedule going to be like now that this whole thing is official."

"Well it depends on what events you'll have to go to, which really the more you're out there the better."

"As long as I don't let the care of my patients suffer." He reminded her.

"I will do my best to make sure that your patients still come first." She looked at her phone, "Oh yay, Maya really did send that package express."

"Oh, did your clothes arrive already?"

"Yeah, if my alert is correct it's waiting on your porch right now."

"Great, we gotta get you a little more country and less city." Lucas smirked, though he had a feeling whatever Maya sent wasn't what Riley had intended for her to.

Riley leaned on the table top towards him, "Are you going to try and make me an honest country woman?"

"If you let me." He meant that in every way possible.

Their food arrived and Riley looked up to Lucas, "You know, there is something I've always wondered."

"Oh yeah, what's that?"

"How come you never moved back to New York."

His mouth formed the shape of an O as he sat back, "I just um, wasn't sure there was anything for me in New York."

"Something about the way he looked at her in this moment sent a chill through Riley, "Your friends are there, I know Farkle still visits you. And I was there."

Lucas took a bite of his burger to avoid responding, trying to find the words that he could, "Why didn't you come surprise me for my eighteenth birthday?" it flew out before he could catch himself.

Riley was stunned, "What?"

"Zay had told me you were going to come down, and then, you didn't. Was he wrong, or did someone or something stop you from coming?" It was out now, he might as well find out.

"I was planning to come down, to surprise you, um, I worked every shift I could at the bakery to save money to buy the tickets, but um" she looked around wishing she could escape this conversation, "One night, I was going through Instagram and um, I got the impression you didn't need a visit from me, you didn't need to remember your life in New York."

"So, you decided not to come?"

"Yeah" She looked away so he wouldn't see the tears in her eye, damn she wished she hadn't left her sunglasses in her purse, but it would be obvious if she pulled them out now. "Your um Instagram feed was full of pictures of you with different girls, all of them all over you."

Lucas felt sick as he looked away, that was why she didn't come, because she thought he moved on? "I didn't personally post those, and the girls kind of mob me. It was odd, flattering at first, but none of them were you. None of them could _ever_ be you. I deleted them as soon as I found them on my feed."

"I figured, I went to delete them the other day." She confessed.

"That's why you thought my social media needed to be scrubbed clean?" He was filling some blanks now, it was making sense. He couldn't be mad at her anymore, not now that he knew why she didn't come to visit. He couldn't blame her for what she thought, and he wasn't supposed to know anyways.

She ran her hand through her hair as she tried to look away so he couldn't see her crying. Trying to use it as an excuse to dry her eyes. "I mean I unfollowed you after that, I was hurt, and I couldn't even fathom coming to see you, I couldn't be rejected by you then."

He reached across the table for her left hand, taking it in his letting his thumb rub over her ring finger, "I wouldn't have rejected you. I would never reject you."

She pulled her hand away, "That's sweet of you to say."

He knew she was avoiding looking at him, and he was close to telling her. "I'm not just saying it."

"The past is the past Lucas, we can't change it." She moved her fork around her plate, "I didn't come to Texas, and you made decisions not to go other places. It is what it is, and it led us to the here and now."

He knew she wasn't going to talk about it more than she already was, he knew that something else was bothering her. The way she spoke made him think that, but he couldn't put it together, what did he still not know?

They sat in silence for a while before Riley looked up, "Are Gigi and Zay working tonight or will they be joining us for dinner?"

"Working, busy week with the Fourth of July a few days away, the bachelor auction tomorrow night." Lucas looked to her, "We don't have to have dinner together if you don't want to."

"No that's not it" She tried to smile, "I just wanted to know how many I was cooking for tonight. Don't want to make too much or too little of something."

"What else do you have to do in town? I only have a few patients this afternoon, then I'm going to bring some paperwork home."

"Actually, I think I'm done in town for the day at least." Riley shifted nervously in her seat, "I'll just go back to the ranch, unpack the stuff Maya sent, um do some work."

"You should explore downtown a little bit, get to know it." Lucas suggested, "Maybe check out the bookstore."

"You want me to hang around town, I don't need a ride, I have a car." She reminded him.

He leaned closer to her across the table giving her a quick kiss on the lips, "I want you to see this town, see it's heart, see its soul, I want you to see Rosewood Springs and what makes it so special."

"If you, um, if I uh, didn't know better than I would think you were trying to give me a reason to stay in town, you know, after."

Lucas got up from his seat, picking up the check, "Maybe, or maybe I think you need to know Rosewood Springs if you're going to help me win."

* * *

Lucas was sitting on the steps when Riley pulled up, "So enjoy exploring?"

Riley got out of the car, carrying a bag from the bookstore, "Maybe," she then grabbed a bag from the grocery store, "I'm surprised you got here before me."

"Don't worry I didn't open your box of clothes that Maya sent." He picked the box up.

"Thank goodness for small favors." She started up the stairs, "Thanks for grabbing that."

"Of course," He opened the door as he balanced the box on his hip, "You sure Maya just sent you clothes?"

"Yeah, what else is she going to send me?" Riley shook her head as she put her bags down at the kitchen table before putting things away. "So, good afternoon at the office?"

"Yeah, it was good." Lucas went to the fridge and took out a soda, "I'm sorry, but I'm dying to know what Maya sent you. I know Gigi would love to go shopping with you if you find you need some stuff."

Riley rolled her eyes, "Okay, go ahead, open the box."

"Okay then" Lucas took out his pocket knife and set his soda on the table. After cutting through the tape, he pulled back the flaps. He stared at the contents. He wasn't sure if he should laugh or not, "Um Ri, what did you ask Maya to send you?"

"Tank tops, t-shirts, jeans, why she didn't send more suits did she?" Riley had taken a few things out of the fridge and was preparing to start making dinner.

Lucas smirked, "You know Ri, I'm just glad to see you went with the waterproof rabbit." He held the box up as he turned to look at her.

Riley stopped what she was doing, "What the hell?"

He put the box down on the counter where she was, "Are you finding that you've got pent up needs here in Texas?"

"No" Riley lied as she took the box, "Maya is being funny, I didn't ask her to send this."

"You shouldn't need that anyways." Lucas could hear the change in his voice, "Every want, every need, you have, every desire of yours should be fulfilled."

Riley knew if she looked at him, within five minutes they would be naked in one of their beds, giving in to whatever this was, "That's kind of you."

Lucas watched as she grabbed the vibrator box and went over to the package, "What else did Maya send?"

Riley was putting it back when she stopped, "What the fuck Maya?"

"What did she send?" He was curious, beyond curious about what Maya was up to.

Riley pulled out the short purple nightie, "What does she think I'm doing down here?"

 _She thinks you're doing me, or should be_. Lucas studied the silk item that hung on Riley's finger, already picturing her in it, while also growing hot with jealousy at the thought that Dave had seen her in it, he'd pushed the straps off her shoulders, kissed his way down her body. "You'll have to ask Maya."

Riley shook her head as she looked at the rest of the items, "The rest is what I asked for." She was embarrassed, what if Lucas thought she needed the vibrator because all she could think about was him taking her, or that the she asked for the nightie in a bid to seduce him.

"You okay Ri?"

"Yeah, I'm just going to take this upstairs before I come back to make dinner."

"After you yell at Maya, right?"

"No, that would give her satisfaction." Riley closed the box, "No, make her wonder if her little ploy worked."

"And what was her ploy exactly?" He stepped towards her.

Riley tried to stand up straight and tall, "What do you think it was, because that's probably exactly what it is."

Lucas waited a moment as Riley left the kitchen, "So Maya wants you to seduce me?" he called out.

"No," Riley paused on the stairs, "She wants me to remember that I'm missing my fiancé." She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't let him know he was right.

Lucas shook his head, yeah, he wasn't buying that. "Whatever you say Princess!"

Riley went to her room, putting the box down on the bed. Lucas was right, Maya wanted her to seduce him. Hell, part of Riley wanted to seduce him, part of her was thinking about putting that nightie on right now, going back to the kitchen, and letting Lucas have her for dinner.

* * *

Charlie was waiting at the bar, slowly drinking his beer knowing that as soon as he was done with the drink he would have to go home to his wife and the kids. But he had to talk to Dave first, find out what he was going to do about the picture that Lucas had posted on Instagram.

He looked up seeing Dave come in just as the waitress put the chips and salsa down in front of him that he'd ordered. Hey might as well have his best friend's favorite food ready as he complains about that bastard Lucas.

Dave moved though the crowded bar to find Charlie, "Okay, what is so important I had to come down here right after work? I have to go plan things for when Riley gets back in a few days."

Charlie signaled for the waitress who came and took Dave's drink order before he started, "You haven't talked to Riley for a few days have you."

Dave thought for a moment, "Saturday after I was on the boat with Avery for the day."

Charlie nodded as he took a corn chip and dipped it in the Salsa. "So where did she say she was."

"Texas, and that she didn't think she'd be there long, why?" Dave grabbed a corn chip just as the waitress brought over his microbrew.

"She asked Maya to send her some clothes cause she's going to be there for a while and she needs to blend in better." Charlie sat back, "Did she mention who she's with in Texas?"

"No, but she doesn't talk about her clients with me."

Charlie hated this, "I um shared this with you on Instagram, but I'm guessing you haven't checked that for a while." He pulled the picture up, "Maya liked this last night."

Dave rolled his eyes, "You check what Maya likes on Instagram, don't you trust her?"

"Oh, I do, I also know when she's up to something." Charlie leaned forward on his arms, "She's been talking to Farkle a lot, and Zay."

Dave picked up the phone, "This has to be an old picture."

"Read the caption Dave." Charlie really hoped that his friend was in denial, but that picture was clear as day.

"Seeing the new Chris Evans film with my beautiful girlfriend." Dave finally allowed himself to scroll down, "You and Riley look so happy says a GigiDarcy, and then, You and Riley looking in each other's stupid, stupid eyes brings back memories replies BarGuyZay."

Charlie watched as Dave put the phone down, before taking a long sip of his drink.

"She wasn't wearing her ring." Dave finally spoke, "She's with Lucas Friar, her first love and she took off the ring I gave her."

"That's what it looks like." Charlie suddenly worried he'd done the wrong thing. Maybe he shouldn't have told Dave.

Dave picked up Charlie's phone again, pulling up Lucas' profile, "Rosewood Springs, well I gotta get down there and find out what's going on."

"Maybe just call her." Charlie suggested, yeah Maya was going to kill him for getting involved in this.

Dave ran his hand over his hair, "No, I have to find out face to face. If Riley is cheating on me with Lucas of all people, you remember what he was like back in school."

"I mean yeah" Charlie sighed, "I mean he and Riley had something back then that was unlike anything I've ever seen before or since, but that was kid stuff. She said yes to you Dave, I mean unless you've given her a reason for her to stray, what are you really worried about?"

"If this was Maya and say Josh Matthews would you not be worried?" Dave shoved the phone at Charlie.

He looked down at the picture on his screen, "Okay, I would be nervous at least about what could be going on."

"I gotta get a flight to Texas, do I fly into Dallas or Austin?"

Hey and Zay would say they were from Austin, so there?" Charlie really had a bad feeling about what was happening, and he was sure he was going to be sleeping in Dave's apartment or boat once Maya found out.

"Good idea, I gotta go pack, and get a flight, and find out what the hell is going on."

"Dave" Charlie called out, "Don't do something stupid, don't do anything that is going to drive her into Friar's arms. Because I'm sure he's waiting for her with them wide open."

 _Shit_. Charlie sighed, he probably just made everything worse.


	14. -so you stole my world-

_**Author note: Ooh got this one done sooner than I thought I would. So, enjoy! Also, it's Saturday night which means Slumber Party Saturday on my tumblr, that means you can ask me anything you want to, anon is turned on and I will do my best to answer, so drop on by.**_

* * *

 **-so you stole my world-**

"Are you sure you don't want to come Gigi?" Lucas looked to his sister as he waited at the bottom of the stairs for Riley to come down. He was dreading this auction, mentally cursing his sister for signing him up yet again. Did Gigi enjoy torturing him with this kind of attention, all it did was make women like Dixie Carmichael salivate with expectation.

"I'm tired of being at the bar, it's my night off and I don't have to bid on you." Gigi smirked, "I heard Dixie has been saving money for months for this. So, she might try to give Riley a fight."

"It's nothing Riley can't handle." Lucas wasn't as sure as he sounded. Dixie the other night at the movies had seemed so sure of herself that she would win.

Gigi shrugged, "Oh I'm sure that she can handle it."

Lucas was about to speak as he looked up just as Riley began to descend the stairs, she wore a black dress that hugged her body, the skirt stopping just below her knees, nothing about it was revealing and yet everything about it was. Her hair was pulled up in a French twist and he wasn't going to lie all he could think about for a moment was pulling out each bobby-pin and shaking her hair free, just before pushing it away from her neck to kiss it.

"You okay Lucas?" Riley waved a hand in front of his face, he looked lost for a moment.

"Yeah, I am okay." Was she oblivious to what she did to him? She couldn't be, she had to know that he'd been on high alert with desire since she stepped out of that car the other day. Each day it became more difficult to not throw her over his shoulder and take her to his bedroom.

"Okay, we should go." Riley opened her clutch checking the time on her phone, "Gigi are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

"Yes, besides I have stuff to do that I can't get done with all you busybodies hanging around." Gigi started to shoo them out of the house.

"What can't she do with us home?" Lucas asked out loud as they moved down the steps.

Riley shrugged, "I don't know, sneak into your bathroom and use that giant tub you've got sitting there. She probably just wants some quiet, get a few things done without people on top of her. I'm like that from time to time, I bet you are as well, in fact I know you are."

"Okay true." Lucas opened the passenger door of the SUV for her, helping her up, feeling that jolt whenever he touched her. She had to feel it, he knew she did, she had to.

Riley watched as he walked around the car, she wished they didn't have to go to this. But she wasn't going to let Dixie Carmichael get her nails dug into Lucas, even for charity.

"Got your checkbook, I promise I'll pay you back for whatever ridiculous amount Dixie drives you up to." He started the car after buckling his seatbelt.

"Yes, I have my checkbook, but you don't have to pay me back. Dixie doesn't realize who she's dealing with, I am the daughter of a shark lawyer after all."

Lucas smirked because he knew that the spark that got to Riley every single time Dixie was around had nothing to do with her mother being a shark lawyer, no Riley was jealous of Dixie. Though he wasn't sure why, nothing happened between them, it was never going to happen.

Riley turned the radio on just as a Jana Kramer song ended and commercials started to play. She quickly turned them off, preferring the silence.

"You look amazing by the way," that was one way he could put it, Lucas was already fantasizing about peeling that dress off her body, hearing her whimper as he kissed her body, feeling the heat between them become a burning inferno.

"Thank you" She felt the blush in her cheeks, "I guess my big city stuff can work on occasion."

"Yeah, all the women in town will be jealous."

"It won't be because of my dress Lucas, it'll be because I'm with you. If I wasn't pretending to be your girlfriend the women of this town would turn this election into some very twisted version of _The Bachelor_."

"I wish I could deny that." He sighed, "But you're right they probably would. I don't get it though, why?"

"Because you haven't settle down yet, you're a challenge to them all. Like you come back here from New York, you've got this mysterious new attitude as far as they're concerned, I mean you're still Lucas, but you're not the Lucas they remembered. You have this new appeal, and you know you're attractive. Then you went off and became a doctor, you are just too much of a challenge that they want to accept."

Lucas glanced to her, "None of them have even turned my head once. Only one woman ever turned my head."

Riley looked out the window, "So is Zay one of the bachelors in the auction?"

"No, he's running the bar, he says he has too much fun watching me squirm to ever be stupid enough to sign himself up."

"You and I both know Gigi signed you up for this." Riley watched as they drove down the main street before Lucas parked behind his office.

"I'm not sure if she enjoys watching me squirm or she's desperate to marry me off."

She felt her heart ache at the thought of him marrying any woman other than her. "Maybe a little of both."

He turned to her, "I'm not sure I'll ever get married." He confessed, "I think I lost my chance at that a very long time ago."

Riley could think of so many things she could say at this moment, to him. All he had to do was show up, they would've been married all the time. Instead of speaking she kissed him, not holding back as she had been, she let part of her heart and soul seep into the kiss, thankful she was still buckled in or she'd end up in his lap.

He was stunned at first, he never expected her to kiss him, every single time she had he was shocked. This one was different, something about the intensity. He was tempted to drag her into his office, take her on the desk, forget all about the auction.

Riley moved to kiss his jawline and neck. The scent of his cologne, the taste of his skin, it was enough to push her over the edge as her fingers moved down his chest, she was desperate to touch him, to feel him.

"Riley" he gasped when he felt her hands on his belt, "We can't."

She looked up to him, expecting to see rejection, but she saw lust, need in his eyes. "Why?"

"It's still daylight, people can see us." He let his hands cradle her face, "I want to, God do I want to."

She closed her eyes he was right they couldn't. She'd gotten lost in the moment. Being in public was just one of the many reasons they couldn't, they shouldn't, but she wanted to, she needed to in ways she'd never felt before, "You're right, besides I have to go make you mine in that auction."

Oh, what he wouldn't give for her to make him hers, not just from the auction. Tonight, he was going to get her to talk. They would go home, he'd open a bottle of wine for them, he'd ask her everything, he would tell her whatever she wanted to know. If he had to, he would take the ring from his sock drawer and present it to her, tell her that it belongs on her finger and no other woman's.

But first he had to survive the public humiliation he was sure was about to come.

* * *

Gigi put the laundry basket on Lucas' bed, she had no intention of folding his socks or boxer briefs, she already knew too many intimate details about him. She didn't care to discover more.

She had a theory, and she intended to prove it tonight. Riley had only been here a handful of days, but it was obvious that the well of their feelings for each other ran deep. They were just afraid of dropping the coin in to make a wish.

With them both at the bachelor auction it gave her the perfect opportunity to snoop around his room. She already knew he'd kept a picture of Riley in his Bible for years. She'd discovered that one boring afternoon years ago, but she had a theory that wasn't the only memento he still had.

She stood in the middle of his room, trying to decide where she thought he might keep something important. Gigi knew that deep down her brother wasn't the skeevy womanizer her acted like, no he was just a heartbroken idiot. He still had her picture tucked away, and Lucas sure did have that Vegas note burned in his memory. It had to be here somewhere.

She went to the top drawer of his dresser, she pushed around the socks until she found something deep in the back, pulling out the black jewelry box. "Lucas what is this?" she asked the empty room as she opened it, seeing the modest sized diamond set in platinum. She pulled it out reading the engraving, _I choose you_.

She put the ring back in the box before returning it to its hiding place, "I wonder when he got that."

She moved to the next drawer, pushing aside his boxer briefs when she saw the cream paper at the back. She pulled it out, realizing it was an envelope. On the front was the note her brother knew so well, the lipstick print that was faded and smudged from handling.

Gigi held it up to the window, seeing the piece of paper inside. She moved closer to the window hoping to read something, all she could make out was the part that said _Love Riley_.

"Oh Luc, you are an idiot!" She shook her head, realizing she had a few options, she could stay at home with this note burning into her entire being or she could go to the auction.

She went to her room grabbing her shoes and purse before she came down, hopping in the truck.

All she knew was that whatever was in this letter her idiot brother had never read could possibly change everything, and it wasn't fair for him to be in the dark any longer.

* * *

"Okay ladies!" Mrs. Miller took the microphone from Zay as she walked around the stage, "Tonight is the night you've been waiting for, our annual bachelor auction. Remember all of the proceeds this evening will go to support the Rosewood Springs athletic departments at the schools. So, ladies, open your purses, grab every spare penny you've got because tonight you could just make that move you've been waiting to make on your future husband."

Zay handed Riley a glass of champagne, "Are you ready to outbid Dixie?"

Riley nodded, "Yes I am," she took a sip before looking to her old friend, "I can't decide if it's sad or sweet that she's still chasing after Lucas."

"Sad" Zay smirked before taking a sip of his own drink from behind the bar. It wasn't crazy or anything now, after the auction ended things would pick up; new couples would start getting to know each other. "You might as well get comfortable, since he's the bachelor of the year Lucas will be up last, and there are like fifteen guys ahead of him."

Riley sat on the stool, watching the way everyone interacted as Mrs. Miller auctioned off one young single man after another. She was on her third glass of champagne when it was finally time to auction off Lucas.

"Now he has been the bachelor of the year three years in a row ladies, but I have a feeling this is the last time we'll see him up on the auction block."

Lucas came up on stage as music played, Mrs. Miller read of his biography, his accomplishments. He smiled when he saw Riley as she waved to him with her champagne glass before she blew him a kiss. He then frowned when he saw Dixie looking at him with that incredibly hungry stare she always seemed to have.

"Okay, now last year Dr. Friar here broke records with how much he went for. Are you ladies willing to break those records again? I guess only one way to find out! Let's open the bidding with $500!"

"$500!" Riley bid.

Dixie rolled her eyes, "600."

A voice from the back of the room called out, "700."

"800" Dixie smirked.

"900" the voice from the back cried.

"1,000" Riley bid as she glared to Dixie, sure the other woman had been planted by Dixie to scare her away.

"2,000" Dixie moved towards Riley, trying to ignore her Betsey Johnson dress as she tried to stand tall against the New Yorker, assured of herself.

Riley smirked, "3,000."

"4,000" Dixie looked to Riley, "I've saved up for months to win this date with him."

"That's cute, 5,000." Riley crossed her arms over her chest, wondering how long Dixie was going to try.

Lucas was standing on the stage shocked. This couldn't be happening, could it?

"6,000" Dixie moved closer to Riley, "Go back to New York."

"Sorry, I have no intention of leaving Lucas." She tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach as she realized how true it was, "7,000."

"8,000" Dixie wanted to stomp her foot, who did this bitch think she was, coming into her town and trying to snag her man. Dixie had been working, waiting for Lucas and she wasn't going to let this New York bitch snag him.

"10,000" Riley yelled out.

"Going once, going twice, sold to Ms. Riley Matthews, sorry Ms. Carmichael." Mrs. Miller rang a bell as she watched Dixie start fuming.

Lucas hopped off the stage, "Riley that was too much, I can suffer through a dinner with her if I really have to."

"It wasn't too much," She felt her heart racing as she reached up to caress his cheek, "You're mine, I won fair and square."

"That you did, it was amazing, I was sure she was going to claw your eyes out." He let his hands drop to her waist as he pulled her close to him. "Thank you."

"Anytime Lucas" She let her fingers twist into the hair at the nape of his neck before she pulled him to her, kissing him. Her mouth opening, inviting him to deepen the kiss.

Lucas pulled her as close as he could while his tongue slipped between her lips, dancing with hers.

She could get lost in this kiss, his arms, all she wanted was for him to take her home, to make her really his, to forget everything and everyone else in the world.

Someone near them cleared their throat, causing them to momentarily stop.

"Riley?"

A chill went down her spine as she looked over to see her fiancé watching her and Lucas kissing.


	15. -the spark that lights you up-

**_Author Note: I am so sorry I left you on that cliffhanger for so long. The nephew is on Spring Break (he has another week to go), so I've had to entertain him so you know making slime, galaxy jars, playing Puss in Boots to his Kitty Soft Paws._**

* * *

 **-the spark that lights you up-**

He parked the rental car out in front of the bar, it was still early but the place looked packed. Maybe it was a small-town thing, Dave shrugged as he got out, stretching for a moment as his Tostitos t-shirt rose exposing his abs to the blonde who was going into the Wild Z. She smirked to him as she fluffed her hair, twirling in her red dress before she went in.

It was then that he noticed the sign out front, Charity Bachelor Auction, several male faces were plastered on the poster, with Lucas Friar right in the center.

Dave studied it for a minute, maybe he wouldn't have to get directions to the ranch from Zay. Maya, Smackle, and Farkle had all refused to give him the address of where Riley was staying. Charlie warned him he was already in too deep if Maya found out he told him where Riley was.

Why was it a secret? What the hell was going on between his fiancé and her high school boyfriend?

Lucas Friar.

Dave ran a hand through his hair realizing he was under dressed. But did he really want to blend into this event? No probably not.

He slipped in, staying near the back. He looked around the room but didn't see Riley or Lucas. Maybe Riley wasn't here, maybe once this was done he could talk to Lucas man to man, explain that Riley and he were going to be married in November and whatever he thought was happening between them wasn't.

Riley was always the biggest sweetheart, Lucas had to have misread something she'd said or done.

She was here to get him elected mayor, not be his girlfriend.

Dave perked up when he heard Lucas was up for auction. A woman next to him in a blue and white sundress and blonde hair licked her lips as he moved about the stage.

As he looked around the room he noticed that almost every single woman in the bar was looking at Lucas as if he were the last piece of chocolate hidden in the cabinet and they were in a PMS rage unlike any other.

He stayed against the wall as the bidding began. The first bid he felt his body go cold, had that been Riley?

As he processed that the woman next to him bid $700 for him. Wow, Dave couldn't believe it as the numbers began flying.

That's when he saw where the bidding war was really taking place, up in front between Riley and the blonde he'd seen in the red dress earlier.

"Excuse me," Dave leaned to the woman who had given up after a couple of bids, "Who are those two women?"

"Oh, the brunette is Riley Matthews, the doctor's girlfriend. The blonde is Dixie Carmichael, she's been after the doctor since he moved back in High School. He never looks twice at her, it's obvious his heart belongs to Riley."

Dave felt sick, "Is this a long rivalry?"

"No, Riley just arrived a few days ago, apparently, she and Lucas reconnected several months ago, they're giving it a go, that's why she came to town."

Could this be true? Had Riley really reconnected with him. Had this been going on for months?

"I'm Gloria May, you are?"

"Dave, just passing through town." He couldn't believe it, she'd just bid $10,000 on Lucas. He moved through the crowd only to freeze when he saw Riley and Lucas kiss.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Riley had never kissed him like that.

He cleared his throat, watching as they stopped. "Riley?"

Her eyes went wide, yet she didn't drop her hold on Lucas.

Lucas didn't let go of Riley, if anything he seemed to hold onto her even tighter, Dave was sure he was making a power play.

Riley pulled away from Lucas, "I should go give Mrs. Miller my check."

Lucas slowly let go of her before he turned to look at Dave.

Neither man spoke as they sized each other up. Dave noticed how polished Lucas was in his suit, his natural tan, how golden his hair was, just how massive he'd gotten.

Lucas hadn't been sure what to expect from good ol' Corn Chip Dave. He was tall, not as tall as Lucas but decent enough. He obviously worked out, or at least his time on the boat was kind to him and his body.

If Dave had been honest part of him had hoped he would see Lucas and not feel threatened, but he was sure the only way he would've been more threatening was if he was shirtless right now.

Lucas hadn't expected to see Dave as real competition until just now. If he was as nice as Lucas remembered, he could see why Riley had been drawn to him. But something still irked him, and it wasn't just the careless thought he put into Riley's ring.

Riley came back, putting her hand on Lucas' upper arm, "The three of us should go to Lucas' office to talk."

"Whatever you want Riley." Dave took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, noticing that Lucas' hand moved down Riley's back, over her ass giving it a gentle squeeze as they left through the crowds.

Dave saw Zay look over just as they left.

* * *

Gigi had been in the bar when it was busy more times that she could remember but something about the energy tonight was different as she made her way up to the bar.

"Zay, Zay" She called out trying to get his attention, he looked stunned as he handed a drink to one of the other bartenders.

He came towards her shaking his head, "Gigi what are you doing here?"

She slapped the envelope on the bar top, "Lucas is a fucking idiot, where is he?"

"Busy" Zay ignored her for a moment and got a beer for a customer.

Gigi leaned over the bar, her hair falling forward as her cleavage made a tempting display from the neckline of her shirt. "Busy as in getting with Riley?"

Zay looked over, almost falling when he saw her. Shit what was she thinking? He gulped and blinked before he moved over towards her, watching as she sat up, "After Riley won Lucas, which cost her $10,000 by the way, Dave showed up." He told her as quietly as he could.

"Fuck" Gigi waved the envelope in the air, "Shitty timing."

"What is this?" Zay took it from her, his eyes growing wide, "He still had this?"

Gigi nodded, "He's an idiot." She snatched it away from him and moving towards the backdoor.

"Gi, where are you going?"

"To get them to all figure out this mess once and for all." She called out before vanishing in the crowd.

* * *

Dixie grabbed Gloria May as soon as she saw Riley and Lucas start kissing, they were in the ladies room when she finally kicked the stall door, "Can you believe that bitch, stole my man!"

Gloria May had been Dixie's best friend since their days in the church nursery. She knew that Dixie would spill a bunch of words to vent her frustration, "To be fair she is his girlfriend, so he's kind of _her_ man."

"Please I saw him first, Lucas Friar and I were always meant to be together." Dixie tapped her foot, "Did you see her in that Betsey Johnson dress, trying to act like she's better than us because she has designer clothes."

"Or she wanted to look nice for a night out." Gloria May wasn't sure if she could diffuse this situation, "And from what Zay told me, and Gigi, Riley and Lucas only ever broke up in high school because he moved back here. It wasn't that they didn't want to be together."

Dixie shook her head, "Please if they wanted to be together what took them so long?"

"Life, I don't know, none of us really know what went on between them when he came back, Zay won't say anything." Gloria May chuckled, "He used to have the best stories about people."

Dixie rolled her eyes, "I know you're recently divorced, but really you're still crushing on him?"

"Says the woman who almost spent how much money on a man that you know would only go out with you if it was for charity."

"At least it wasn't that little brat Gigi this time." Dixie took her lip gloss from her purse and applied a fresh coat, "How soon do you think Riley will get bored with small town life and run back to New York City? Because the minute I find out she's off to the Windy City I'm making my move on Lucas."

"The Windy City is Chicago, you mean the Big Apple." Gloria May closed her eyes, wondering if she and Dixie would even be friends if they hadn't been thrown together at such a young age.

"Like it matters." Dixie threw the lip gloss in her bag, "I need a drink, especially if I have to watch those two all night. Oh, did you see that cute guy in the jeans and corn chip t-shirt? Maybe he could make me forget about Lucas for now. At least scratch an itch."

"Yeah I saw him." Gloria May sighed, if Dixie wanted a guy she got him, except for Lucas. She thought back to that camping trip, she had been seventeen, Lucas had just turned eighteen. They'd made out in the bed of his truck, their sleeping bags zipped together, it was a dream come true, until he called her Riley, and then called her that again, and then a third time. The rest of the night she had to hear about his first love, and realized Lucas would never really be over her.

* * *

The air was thick as Lucas led them through his clinic. A dog was barking and Deacon his intern came out to see who was moving around. "Go get a burger at Casey's, I need to have a private conversation."

"Sure, thing boss." The young man moved towards the door, "Daisy is okay, I think she's just anxious to get moving around again."

"That's to be expected." Lucas waited until he left. "Daisy broke her leg, she'll be fine, but I've got Deacon looking in on her overnight."

Riley and Dave nodded as if they understood before Lucas opened his office door. Only a couple of hours before he thought he'd be christening the desk by making love to Riley on, or maybe enjoy her on the couch. This was not part of his plan for tonight.

Riley hadn't been in here yet, it was larger than she'd anticipated. His wall looked like most doctor's walls, except she noticed that on the bookshelf sat a framed picture of the two of them with Gigi and Auggie in Central Park.

She hadn't seen that picture in ages, she remembered the day she gave it to Lucas in the same frame. He'd kept it all this time, the dust on the frame made her realize he had it out for a while now.

Dave waited a moment, watching them, trying to understand what was going on. "Riley, I thought you came to Texas to work on a campaign. Not to reunite with your high school boyfriend."

"Exactly," Riley took a deep breath, she should've told him days ago, "Lucas is running for mayor. I really did think it would be an easy job. I don't know how much of the auction you saw, but if the women of this town believe that Lucas is single they'll turn his campaign into some twisted real life version of the bachelor."

"And then no one would focus on the good he could do, and the wrong person would win." Dave sighed, "So why are you two all over each other?"

Riley knotted her fingers together, "Lucas and I are pretending to be together, in public only. Nothing is actually going on between us."

Dave looked to Lucas who was silent so far, "This is all pretend."

"You heard Riley." Lucas bit in the inside of his lip, it was far from fake, he knew it, and she had to know it. "Dixie, the woman who was bidding on me, she's been after me for years. I've turned her down repeatedly, but if she thought she could not only get me, but get me as mayor, she'd just see her social status in her eyes like stars."

"Why post a picture of the two of you together on Instagram, calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend. We still have mutual friends." Dave still had no idea what he was supposed to think.

"Dixie lives and breathes via Instagram, she has since high school." Lucas sat in his desk chair, looking for some clue between Riley and Dave that they were the one for each other, so far, he barely saw a spark.

Riley spun towards Dave, "Wait, you saw that post on Instagram? You don't follow Lucas, you only follow people with fancy yachts and corn chip companies. Who showed it to you?"

"Charlie saw it, he thought I had a right to know what my fiancé was up to. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know how to tell you." She shrugged as the door flew open.

Gigi moved towards her brother, "Lucas Friar, have I got a bone to pick with you."

"Not now Gigi." Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose, "This isn't a good time for any of your dramatics."

"Oh, this is the best time possible." Gigi crossed her arms as she looked at her brother, "You are an idiot Lucas, I-D-I-O-T. Look what I found in your room."

Lucas and Riley looked at Gigi as she moved around the office, her arms dancing as she waved something in the air.

It couldn't be, could it? Riley wondered as she felt her heart race, her stomach clench. He'd kept it, all these years he'd kept it, but it was still sealed. He'd never opened it.

Lucas was frozen, "Gigi, this isn't the time." He really didn't need his little sister throwing his past in his face in front of Riley and Corn Chip Dave.

Gigi waved it in front of her brother, "There's a note inside and it looks like you've never opened it."

"What are you talking about?" Lucas went to snatch it from Gigi, but Riley got to it first.

"You don't need to know what's in here Lucas, it's not going to do you any good to dredge this up." Riley felt her voice shaking along with her fingers, she'd always believed he'd opened it, that he knew where he was supposed to meet her. She thought he'd just decided not to marry her, to pretend he didn't know it was her.

Gigi tried to grab it back from Riley, "I think Lucas should open it."

"No" Riley looked around the room, "Gigi let's talk in the lobby, away from Lucas and Dave."

Gigi froze as she looked around, there he was in the corner, a lot more attractive then she thought he would be from the way her brother and Zay had talked about him. "Oh, you're Dave."

"And you would be?" He wasn't sure what he was witnessing but things had just moved faster than a New York minute around him.

"Gigi Friar, Lucas' little sister." She smiled before she looked to Lucas mouthing _this guy, really?_

"Gigi, the lobby." Riley was at the door, waiting for her.

Sighing she followed her to the lobby, trying to ignore the photos of all the animals her older brother had helped on the wall. Something about them unsettled her. She watched as Riley paced for a moment, "This is from you, isn't it Riley?"

Riley looked down at the envelope in her hands, "Other than my name, the time and place that we were supposed to get married."

"What?" Gigi was surprised her theory was right.

"When we were in Las Vegas, he asked me to marry him." Riley looked at the pictures on the wall, smiling at the image of Lucas with the different animals. "I said yes, I woke up before him. I looked up the address for a chapel, wrote it down, asking him to meet me at one."

"And Lucas didn't show up." Gigi shook her head, "Idiot!"

Riley sat in one of the waiting room chairs, "I waited for hours, and then I went back to the hotel. I stood outside his room, ready to confront him, but this voice in the back of my head said to let it go. If he wanted me, he would've been there, he would've met me at the chapel. That I had to accept that Lucas and I were never going to be together, no matter how much I love him."

"Interesting" Gigi crossed her arms over her chest.

"What is?" Riley studied the envelope, it had been handled a bit, but never opened.

"You said love, not loved."

"Gigi, I'm marrying Dave."

Shaking her head Gigi chuckled, "Tell Lucas it was you in Vegas, you don't have to tell him the rest, just tell him it was you."

"It won't change anything Gigi, I'm still engaged to Dave, and Lucas is still"

"In love with you."

"He's not Gigi, the Lucas Friar that loved me hasn't existed since New York, and maybe a few fleeting, drunken hours in a hotel room in Las Vegas." She looked up, "I'm going back in there and telling your brother that finding out who this woman was, wouldn't change anything, and it wouldn't."

"I think it would." Gigi couldn't understand how Riley couldn't see that, and as she watched the older woman go to the office she realized that it wasn't that she couldn't see that things would change, that they would, and perhaps she was even more afraid of that.

Riley handed the envelope to Lucas when she returned to the office, "I don't think it'll change anything if you open it. Whatever is in there is ten years old, a decade has past, and lives have changed, people have changed. Besides it could just be a room number."

Lucas took the envelope, wondering why it was beckoning him to open it now, and why Riley was so sure he shouldn't. "Thanks" he looked over to Gigi, "Stay out of my stuff."

Gigi looked to him, her eyes challenging him. "What afraid I'll find something else. You got more secrets hiding in your room, maybe something in the sock drawer."

"Georgianna Darcy Friar, go away right now. Riley, Dave and I have a lot to discuss." He glared at her, hoping she would leave.

"Fine, I'm going to go see if Zay needs help cause it's wild over there." She stormed out, letting the back-door slam behind her. She tried to process the information she had. What she knew was real.

Riley had believed she and Lucas were going to get married in Las Vegas.

Riley and Lucas had lost their virginities to each other.

Lucas had an engagement ring that could only be for Riley.

At least now she knew why Riley had been so mad at Lucas up until now, or at least partially why.

* * *

Maya finally got the kids to bed, she changed into her pajama's sighing at how tight her shirt was now. She looked in the mirror and shrugged before she laid down on the bed, pulling her body pillow into a comfortable position before she looked at her messages from Zay.

She moved to the middle of the bed, repositioning the body pillow and making sure that she took up as much space as she could.

When Charlie came in several minutes later he sat at the foot of the bed, "What did I do?"

Maya sat up glaring at her husband, "What did you think you were going to accomplish?"

Charlie was afraid to answer, what if she didn't know that Dave flew off to Texas this morning planning to bring Riley back with him. What if it was something else. "Did I leave the seat up? I'm so sorry I swear I didn't mean to."

"That's not it."

"I didn't help put the kids to bed?"

"No, but now that you mention it, they were a pain tonight."

"I'll get them to bed tomorrow when they're all hyped up from the fireworks and junk food."

Maya crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're shirt, oh babe." Charlie tried to give his wife his sexiest grin. "You know how sexy I find you, and when you're pregnant, I find you to be the absolute most beautiful, sexy, woman in the world. You know that even if your top is tight, I still love you, I still want you, especially when you're carrying our child."

Maya kept her lips together, trying not to give into her husband's charm, "Where's Dave?"

"Shit, what did he do?" He pulled away knowing he was in trouble now.

Maya rubbed her hands together, "I got a message from Zay, apparently, Dave showed up tonight at the bar."

"Oh, did he?" Charlie worried that at any moment Maya would explode.

"Yeah, they were having a bachelor auction, Lucas is bachelor of the year, again. And Riley spent $10,000 to win him. And they were kissing, and Dave showed up right then."

"So, Dave caught Riley cheating on him."

"Sort of." Maya smirked.

Charlie moved off the bed, "Wait did you _want_ Dave to go down and catch Riley doing whatever she's doing?"

"Listen Charlie, Dave is your best friend, Riley is my best friend, they however do not belong together." Maya got up from the bed, moving towards her husband, "Riley and Dave don't have that spark, they don't light up when the other enters the room, they don't have that zing between them that you and I have. I think maybe, Riley and Lucas might still have it, and Dave,"

"Dave what?" Charlie turned to his wife, trying to decide if he should be mad or not.

"Dave has that zing for corn chips and boats, not for Riley."

"Maya" Charlie couldn't believe it, except he could, "So you're trying to what break your best friends heart. You and I both know that she will never get over Lucas, but what happens if she and Dave break up, and Lucas hurts her again?"

"She shouldn't settle for a life with Dave, she could maybe have the life she should've had with Lucas, if the two of them would just talk and figure out where they went wrong it could be amazing for both. And well for Dave, maybe he'll find a woman he zings with or a man, whatever he's into besides that damn boat of his."

Charlie watched as she laid on the bed, he waited a moment before he joined her, "I know you want Riley to be happy, I want Dave to be happy, Riley makes him happy."

"But Dave doesn't make her happy." Maya sighed.

Charlie bit his lip, "What do you mean by that?"

"Riley isn't her best with Dave. Something is missing between them. I think she's settling, and I think in a way Dave is as well."

"Dave loves her, he wants to be with her forever, I don't think Riley is settling. I think you've got it in your head that she and Lucas were some epic love story and babe, they were high school sweethearts."

Maya bit her lip, "Do she and Dave really know each other?"

"They just haven't figured each other out yet, they spend too much time apart. She needs to stop traveling and be here with Dave."

"No, she needs to stay in Texas, she needs to be with Lucas."

"We're not going to agree on this." Charlie could see the determination in his wife's eyes, "Oh God, what did you send her the other day?"

"A vibrator and a sexy nightie."

"Maya, do you want her to please herself or have Lucas please her?"

"Whichever works for her." She shrugged, "Because trust me Dave is not getting that girls motor going the way you get mine."

"Trying to distract me huh?"

"Is it working?"

"Maybe." He kissed her, feeling her fingers in his hair before he reached over to turn off the light on the nightstand.


	16. -everything that stands between us-

_**Author Note: Okay my dearies, I hope you enjoy this. Don't hate me too much, please? Also thank you as always for all the lovely reviews, reblogs, replies, ask messages, you guys are beyond amazing.**_

* * *

 **-everything that stands between us-**

Gigi put her purse down on the counter as she sat on a stool, she smiled to Betsy who had worked the counter here as long as she could remember.

"Let me guess chocolate shake and an order of cheese fries, right?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful Betsy." Gigi pulled out her phone not really reading anything or expecting much she just needed the distraction after Zay told her to get out of the bar.

"Hey Gigi" His voice surprised her.

She looked up, "Oh Hi Deacon, what's up?"

"Just grabbing dinner, Lucas kicked me out of the office to have a private conversation." He shrugged before taking a sip of his soda and looking at his mostly empty plate.

Gigi nodded, "Yeah I interrupted that, he wasn't happy with me."

Deacon smiled and gave her a little nudge, "You are the little sister."

"Ugh, I'm not that little."

"I know, but for Lucas you always will be." He gave her a soft smile, "So, um, Gigi, are you going to the dance tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, I mean I'll probably just tag along with Lucas and Riley."

"She seems nice." Deacon started twisting his napkin around his finger, "Um maybe instead of tagging along with them, you and I could go together, like on a date."

Gigi blinked her eyes several times, Deacon was asking her out? "I would like that."

"You would, I mean I wasn't sure you would say yes." He tore his napkin as he spoke.

"Why?" Gigi could admit to herself she was surprised that he asked her out.

"You seem so focused on school, I wasn't sure you'd want to go out." Deacon was mentally kicking himself as he spoke, he was blowing it.

"No one has asked me out since high school." She shrugged just as Betsy brought her milkshake and she thanked her, "Um, I mean I get hit on when I'm working but none of that really means anything."

Deacon watched her take a sip of her milkshake, "So I should pick you up at six tomorrow for the dance?"

"Yeah that would be great Deacon."

"Great." He gave her a smile as he grabbed his check, "I um I should get back, check on Daisy. Hopefully Lucas isn't mad at me."

"If my brother is mad it's not at you, it's at himself."

"Good to know, I'll see you tomorrow, have a good night Gigi."

"You to Deacon." She watched him leave, he was a couple of years older than her, she'd had a crush on him when she was a freshman in high school and he was a senior. At the very least she'd get to live out her high school fantasy of going on a date with him, though it would be weird going on a date on her birthday.

* * *

"Aren't you afraid someone is going to see you leaving his motel room?" Lucas watched Riley packed a few things into her bag. He couldn't look at what she was actually packing, now he understood why Maya had sent her that purple nightie, it hadn't been to entice Lucas, it had been for Riley to wear when Dave showed up.

"It's outside of town, and he already booked an early flight back to New York, so yes I'm going to go and spend the night with my fiancé." Riley looked up and really at Lucas for the first time all night since Dave had arrived. "I don't know how I can explain what happened earlier, but thank you for stopping us, I'm glad we didn't make a mistake."

He wanted to scream at her, to kiss her, to let his hands wander over her body until she was naked and then wander over them some more, he believed in his hearts of hearts that they couldn't be a mistake, they were never a mistake. "And what it someone saw you with him? We're lucky most people were distracted at the auction to realize we left with some guy."

"We tell them he's my ex, and that I was explaining to him that you are the love of my life." Her heart leapt, her stomach twisted, a tiny voice in the back of her mind screamed at her to throw her arms around Lucas right now and stand Dave up, but the louder voice in her head reminded her that she and Lucas had their chance, and missed it.

"Let me know when you get home then, no matter the time, wake me up." It was all he could say to her before he left, retreating to his office downstairs.

He only turned on one light, the one on his desk. The same desk that had belonged to his grandfather, and his father before him, and maybe even his father before him. He opened the bottom drawer, taking out the bottle of whiskey and glass he kept stashed there for long nights.

He needed to not think, he needed to escape from every thought already in his mind about Dave and Riley. Was she going to make love to him? Did they make love or did they have wild monkey sex? Was that the appeal of Corn Chip Dave?

He could make love to Riley. He could give her wild monkey sex if she wanted.

Hell, all she had to do was give him the signal and he would be her's forever and always. Couldn't she see that?

He stood by the front window, watching her tail lights vanish into the night as he swallowed what was left in his first glass.

He poured a second glass drinking it slower, trying to figure out how he got here. This wasn't the night he'd planned. No he should be upstairs right now showing Riley the ring he bought for her all those years ago.

He poured his third glass leaving his office as he went upstairs. He stood in the door way of her room for a moment before he entered what had become her sanctuary, it was then he saw that the purple nightie was laying across the chair.

She hadn't taken it with her.

His mind went into overdrive as he thought about what she could be wearing for Dave, and how she shouldn't be wearing anything for Dave, but only for him.

He closed his eyes for a moment before he picked up the nightie, wondering just how it would hug and hang from Riley's curves.

He draped it back over the chair and went back to his room, putting his half empty glass down on the dresser as he undressed. As he pulled his jacket off he found the note.

Damn Gigi for finding it.

Damn him for keeping it all this time.

Damn Riley for insisting he not open it.

He threw it on his nightstand before he finished shedding his clothes and he went into the bathroom where he turned the shower on hot, stepping under the spray, enjoying the ping of each drop of water.

Why did Dave have to show up? Why did Dave have to even exist? Why couldn't he and Riley be together?

He leaned against the shower wall for a moment as he cried, letting the pent-up emotions release from inside of him. He stepped back under the spray for several minutes before turning it off and drying off.

He wrapped his towel around his waist before crossing his bedroom to get his drink, finishing it in one swallow before placing the glass on nightstand then dropping the towel and climbing into bed.

He closed his eyes, wishing he could exorcise the thought of Riley with any other man out of his head as he drifted to a restless sleep.

* * *

Riley drove through the motel parking lot, it looked like the owners took pride in their property. She glanced at her phone for his room number and was thankful to discover it was in the back. Not that she believed anyone would recognize her car, at least not yet, almost every time she'd gone into town she'd been with Lucas in one of the trucks or the SUV.

She felt a pit in her stomach growing, this felt so weird, so wrong. Hours before she'd been about to let Lucas do whatever he wanted to her in his SUV, hell she had a few things she'd wanted to do to him, yet now she was about to meet up with her fiancé for some sort of secret tryst.

Riley sat in her car for a moment after she parked. What had become of her life?

Lucas said he wanted her earlier, but what did he want from her? Just a night, like the other women he'd been with since their night in Vegas?

What good was giving into desire if all it was going to bring her was heartache? Just behind that door in front of her, not even ten steps away was a man who wanted her forever. A man who was afraid he was going to lose her so he showed up.

Dave showed up.

When it had been, important Lucas hadn't.

He hadn't even thought to read the letter she left him.

But he still had it.

Why would he keep it all this time?

What did any of this even mean?

She closed her eyes for a moment and counted to ten before she got out of the car, taking her bag with her as she went and knocked on Dave's door.

He opened a few seconds later, the motel towel wrapped around his body as he smiled at his fiancé, "God it's so good to see you Riley."

"It's good to see you." She bit her lip as her eyes traveled down his body, it had been a few months since she'd seen him in person, his skin tanned by weekend afternoons on his boat.

He closed the door behind her, leaning against it as he watched her drop her bag on the table. "Are you sure you need to stick around this place and pretend to be Lucas' girlfriend. I don't like the way you two were kissing earlier." He confessed.

Riley sighed as she sat on the bed, "I know it's not conventional, but Dave, I promise nothing is going on between me and Lucas."

"Does he know that?" He crossed his arms over his chest, wondering if Riley really didn't see the way Lucas had looked at her, the way he'd watched her.

"Lucas knows, he doesn't want me," she looked up, "Even if he did want me, he would only want a night, he doesn't want a lifetime, and I'm not the kind of woman who would throw away the life you and I are going to have, for a night with a man I don't love."

Dave smiled as he came over to her, brushing her curls from her shoulder with the backs of his fingers, "Please don't throw us away."

She reached up, caressing his cheek, "I won't throw us away. I love you, you are my future."

"Every picture you and Lucas post to Instagram together, any time you have to kiss, it's all pretend, right?"

"Yeah, I swear on my engagement ring." She let the pad of her thumb run over his lips, making a wish to the powers above for some kind of clarity.

"Good, because when this is over" his hands moved down her body the front of her jeans unbutton them, "You're coming home to New York, we're getting married."

"That's exactly what I want" she told him as he tugged her jeans down before she kicked them off, feeling the palm of his hand run over her bare thigh.

"Do you need me Riley?" his hand moved higher up and he looked into her dark eyes.

"I need you" she gasped he wasn't even touching her, but she could feel him. She looked to see him smirk.

Dave leaned forward kissing her, letting his fingers comb into her curls, trying to hold her close when she pulled away. "What's wrong?"

Riley didn't say anything as she jumped off the bed and opened her purse, pulling out the emergency tampon she kept in the pocket. She rushed to the bathroom and discovered her instinct was correct and silently cursed before she cleaned up and came out, "We can't, I'm sorry."

Dave nodded as he took a deep breath, "Can I do anything for you?"

Riley went to her bag pulling out the pajama pants she'd brought with her, slipping them on before she crawled onto the bed next to him, "Just hold me, kiss me a little."

"Of course, Ri-Pie" He kissed the top of her head as she snuggled close to him, "I love you."

"I know you're frustrated right now." She let her fingers run along his abs.

"I could never be frustrated as long as I have you next to me." He felt her lips on his, a hard, desperate kiss, as though she needed him to feel it. He held her close, returning the kiss with as much as she gave him. "We have the rest of our lives together Riley, one night isn't going to change that."

"I'm glad to hear that." She rested her head on his chest, feeling his fingers caress her arm, wondering why everything she'd thought she'd felt before Texas, she couldn't find any longer in his kiss.

* * *

It was still dark out when Riley got back, the other trucks and the SUV all parked, only the hall light was on upstairs, and the kitchen light downstairs. She grabbed her bag after parking and went into the house as quietly as possible.

Why did she feel like she was sneaking in and about to be busted by her father? She almost laughed out loud at the idea. How many times had her father chased Lucas out of her room when she was younger, how many nights had Lucas snuck back in once they knew he asleep.

They would stay up talking, holding hands, just enjoying the peaceful moments together. During the days, they were always being pulled by others, sometimes it felt that if they didn't sneak that time together, they would've had none.

She put her bag in her room and slipped out of her shoes. She looked down the hall, he had asked she let him know when she got back, but it was four in the morning, should she really wake him up?

If they didn't they would argue about it, wouldn't they?

Dave got the first flight back he could, it just happened to be one he had to be at the airport super early for. So, she got to spend a few hours curled up next to her fiancé, just enjoying being next to each other and ignoring little voice at the back of mind.

She stood outside his room. Slowly she opened the door, he was in bed asleep, as smile on his face.

Riley looked around for any indication that he hadn't spent the night alone. All she found was a towel on the floor by his bed, the empty whiskey glass, and the note.

That damn note.

"Mmm, babe." Lucas reached out and took her wrist, "Come back to bed."

Riley almost jumped when he touched her, she hadn't been expecting it. "Lucas?"

He pulled her down onto the bed, "Mmm, I missed you." He sighed as he continued to speak.

Riley realized then he was talking in his sleep, she sat there wondering what she should do. Should she wake him or was it like sleep walking where you don't want to do that?

"Riley" He moaned as he pulled her body closer to him.

She was stunned, he was dreaming about her. That couldn't be.

He kissed her in the spot where her shoulder met her neck, quick as if he were simply sampling her, "I can't wait to marry you today."

She felt her hands shaking as she tried to move, only to feel him pull her closer again.

"Don't run from us Riley." He nuzzled her neck, "We'll make it work, it has to work, why else would you be here, right now?"

"Oh Lucas, if only." She sighed as he held her close.

Riley eventually drifted to sleep as she waited for a chance to slip out of his embrace and back to her room.


	17. -it happens all the time-

_**Author Note: Can you guys believe he pulled her into the bed with him while he was sleeping? How badly do you just want to shake them up until now?**_

* * *

 **-it happens all the time-**

His lips brushed against the bare skin of her shoulder, his body electrified by need and desire for the angel of his dreams. He continues to kiss her as his hand slips under her tank top, sighing with satisfaction that she's bra-less as he massages her breast.

A moan of pleasure escapes her lips when she feels his fingertips brush against her nipple in a slow circular fashion.

That sound, the reality of it causes Lucas to open his eyes to see Riley in his arms. A smile on her lips as he touches her.

How did she get in his bed?

Slowly he pulls away, trying to remember. She left to spend the night with Dave. He drank to forget her. He took a shower and got into bed naked.

How did she end up next to him?

She reaches for his hand as she misses his touch.

Lucas realizes she's still asleep.

She takes his hand pulling it back to her breast. He can't help but smirk as he thinks of how to wake her.

"Don't stop Lucas" her voice needy, desperate as she replaces his hand where she wants it.

She said his name, not Dave's. Was it possible? Did he still have something to hope for?

He studied her, dressed in her pajamas and part of him wanted to throw caution to the wind and explore her body, hear her moans, her pleads for him to touch her.

He nestled close to her, willing his body to calm down, not get excited because he was sure there wasn't enough cold water in the world to help him deal with that.

"Riley, wake up sweetheart." God, it felt so perfect to say, so right to wake up with her in his arms, this should be their every morning from here until they died.

"No" she muttered as her body snuggled closer to his.

Lucas was sure he was going to die as he felt her ass rubbing up against the erection his was fighting. "Babe, you have to tell me why you're in my bed." He was fighting the urge to nibble on her earlobe, to let his tongue trace down her neck.

Her sleepy eyes slowly opened to Lucas over her, his green ones curious as she herself looked around. "Wait, why is your hand on my breast?"

"Well" he looked down, "I tried to remove it but you put it back."

"Oh" She lifted his hand from her, immediately missing his touch.

Lucas laid on his side, resting his head on his hand, his elbow propping him up as he looked to her, "So, how did you get in my bed? Were you craving me and couldn't take it anymore, you needed me? All you have to do Riley is say the word and you get me."

"Just what I need a one-night stand." She tried to scoot away and took the bedding with her, revealing that Lucas was naked. She couldn't speak, his body the kind great sculptures tried to duplicate in stone.

How could she not get it, she would never be a one-night stand. She would be his every night, his every morning, she was already his every other thought. "So, tell me how you ended up in my bed."

She closed her eyes, but the image of his naked body was burned in her soul. "I um, I got back, and you made me promise to let you know when I did, and um, I came in here, you were talking in your sleep and you pulled me into the bed. I wasn't sure how to wake you up, if I should, if it was like a sleepwalking thing. I was waiting for a chance to get out and I must've fallen asleep." She wouldn't admit that the few hours she slept in his arms were the best, most restful sleep she'd had in she didn't even know how long.

Lucas made no move to cover himself, he was watching the way she reacted. "What was I dreaming about."

She slipped out of the bed the rest of the way, crossing her arms over her chest, "Me, you wanted me to come back to bed." Her eyes moved over the room, seeing the note on his nightstand the empty glass next to it.

"What did I say Riley?" he could tell she was holding back, she was always holding back with him, except when she was angry.

"Lucas it was a dream, it doesn't matter." She ran her fingers over her face.

He stood up from the bed moving towards her, "I'll tell you what I dreamed."

"Ok" she was lost as she locked with his green eyes. "What did you dream?"

He reached out caressing her cheek, watching as she tried to resist giving into his touch, "I was with you in Las Vegas, we were going to married."

Riley closed her eyes, trying to remind herself to breathe. "Dreams are funny things."

"They are, what's that old line, _dreams are a wish your heart makes_?"

"Not all wishes come true Lucas." She took a step back, but he moved with her, each step she took until she realized her back was pressed against the door.

He felt his heart racing, his hands running along her neck, "I want to make your wishes come true."

"We missed our chance Lucas." She gasped feeling his thumb over her lips, and her body shivered with anticipation.

"This is our chance, here and now." He kissed her, hard and needy, pleading with her to feel what he was feeling. His fingertips teased her hairline as his body pressed against hers.

Riley sighed as the kiss deepened, her hands on his arms. Her body leaning into his, feeling the hardness of his chest against her, the pressure and heat of his need against her. Her mind was a whirlwind, everything was dizzy with years of desire and unfulfilled needs swirling through her.

Her lips were the gateway to heaven. He was sure of it as he felt her body against his. His hands slipped down his thumbs looping under the straps of her tank top as he moved his lips down her neck, her moans and sighs the only soundtrack he wanted to hear for the rest of his life.

His hands moved lower, his fingers pulling on the elastic of her pajama bottoms.

"Stop" she cried, and he immediately backed away. "We cannot do this. We can't make this kind of mistake Lucas, I can pretend to be your girlfriend in public, but we can't get lost in this fantasy when we're alone."

"It doesn't have to be a fantasy." He pleaded.

"In November, this all ends Lucas, I go back to New York and I marry Dave. You'll be here, you'll be the mayor, and you will do some good for this town, maybe you'll finally meet the girl you're meant to marry." She was sure she would throw up if she had to think of him marrying someone else.

Lucas closed his eyes as he backed away from her, "Why is this the way things are?"

She pulled the straps of her tank top up as she looked at him, seeing something she hadn't seen before. "We have to live with the choices we made."

"We still have choices to make Riley."

"You're right that we do Lucas, and right now I'm choosing not to get lost in this . . . fantasy. I'm going to take a shower, I'm going to message my fiancé, and then I'm going shopping with your sister for her birthday. I'll see you tonight for the dance." She opened the door, slipping into the hallway before he could reach out and stop her. She knew if she felt his touch again she wouldn't be able to hold back any longer, for her own preservation she had to get out.

Lucas picked up the glass on his nightstand and threw it at the wall, the sound of the glass shattering sobering him to the reality of what was happening.

* * *

Gigi watched Riley as they moved through the different racks of dresses as they moved around the boutique in Austin. "You okay, did you and Dave have an argument?"

"No, Dave and I didn't argue." Riley pulled out a blue dress studying it before she put it back.

Gigi pulled out white cocktail dress, with a short skirt and cap sleeves, "Then why the sour mood? Wait what did Luc do now?"

"He dreamed about me last night." Riley studied the red dress in front of her, it would be tight, revealing, she would feel sexy wearing it, but then she'd felt sexy that morning as Lucas touched her.

"You would look amazing in that." Gigi told her, "And Lucas dreams about you all the time, he talks in his sleep."

"I'm aware." Riley sighed, "He asked me to let him know when I got back from being with Dave, and um, he was talking in his sleep."

Gigi raised an eyebrow as she looked at the older woman, "So you had sex with Dave and then you came home to my brother, do you realize how weird this situation is?"

"I didn't have sex with Dave." Riley wasn't sure why she confessed that, "And yes this situation is weird, and I'm not sure how long it's going to last."

"The second Dixie thinks Lucas is single she's going to stop at nothing to get him." Gigi looked at the dress that Riley was holding, "he'll lose the election, you can't leave until after, please Riley, find a way for you and Lucas to survive whatever this mess is."

"Public I can do, it's when your brother and I are alone that things get muddy."

Gigi took a moment trying to compose her thoughts, "Is it muddy, or is it that when you're alone with my brother you're so close to having everything you want you're terrified to give in."

"It's muddy." Riley grabbed the red dress and went to the changing room to try it on, it fit perfectly, and even though she thought maybe it might be a bit much with the red sequins, and maybe a little short she knew it felt good.

She tried to ignore the vision in her mind of Lucas undressing her. The vision of his fingers unzipping her dress, pushing it to the floor.

She dressed again in her jeans and t-shirt before deciding that yes this was the dress for tonight.

* * *

Zay couldn't take it anymore, why the hell had someone been vacuuming for so long? He rubbed eyes as he got out of bed, following the sound across the hall to Lucas' room, the door open as Lucas who wearing just basketball shorts vacuumed the wood floor.

Lucas turned the vacuum off when he saw Zay, "Hey, did I wake you?"

"You've been vacuuming for like twenty minutes, why?"

Lucas ran his hand through his hair, "I got mad, threw a glass at the wall, trying to get all the glass up."

"What happened with Riley?"

"I woke up with her in my arms." Lucas told him, as he thought back to just how perfect and right it had been to have her there.

"Wait how, how did that happen?" Had she broken up with Dave, no Maya would've sent him a message about that, wouldn't she?

"She came to tell me that she was back from spending the night with him, and I was asleep, dreaming about her, apparently, I pulled her into bed with me and wouldn't let her go."

"And she didn't wake you up?" Zay found that odd.

Lucas sighed as he went to pull a t-shirt from the dresser, "She was afraid it was like a sleepwalking thing, where you don't want to wake them up. She fell asleep waiting for a moment she could get out."

"I don't see where that leads to a broken glass."

Lucas pulled the t-shirt on, "I was naked, we were kissing, we were so close, and then she pulled away."

Zay got it now, and then he saw the note on the nightstand, he crossed to pick it up, "Why do you have this after all this time?"

"I don't know, so I wouldn't think I was insane when I woke up in that bed alone. So, I knew something happened, someone had been there." Lucas took it from Zay, "Last night I dreamed it was Riley, that we were going to get married afterwards. But Riley wouldn't walk away from me with just a note."

"You're right she wouldn't walk away from you with just a note." Zay was torn did he tell him, "Dreams are funny things Lucas."

"I'm going to go check in with the ranch hands, and then get changed to drop by the office and check on Daisy before sending her home. I'll be back later before the dance, you tagging along with me, Gigi, and Riley?"

"Yeah, of course." Zay watched Lucas put the note in his Bible, wondering why his friend wouldn't just open it, wondering why Riley wouldn't just tell him it was her. He shook his head as he went back to his room, wondering if all of this he'd set up with Maya and Farkle was worth it, so far all he'd seen were Riley and Lucas hurting each other and themselves.


	18. -we drifted away-

_**Author Note: They've decided to stop listening to me, this could be good, it could be bad. You get to decide.**_

* * *

 **-we drifted away-**

Riley pulled her hair up into a bouffant bun, nervously biting on her lip as she started to wonder if perhaps her dress was too provocative, would it be too tempting for Lucas, was he going to think she was just teasing him?

Hadn't she thought about doing just that? Making him want her and then turning him down?

But every reason she had to turn him down was quickly vanishing.

He hadn't been some playboy who forgot about her the second he stepped for in Texas.

He didn't remember they had been together in Las Vegas.

He never read the note so he didn't know he was supposed to meet her at the chapel to get married.

She was still engaged to Dave.

She could've ended it last night, but in the moment the thought hadn't crossed her mind.

He'd shown up in that stupid Tostitos t-shirt, she hated that shirt, and he knew it.

Being here, being near Lucas had her questioning everything. Before she stepped off the plane in Austin not even a week ago, she thought she knew what she wanted, what she needed.

Dave loved her, he wanted to marry her, sure he gave her a ring she was allergic to, but an explanation for that had to exist.

Riley picked up her lipstick, her fingers shaking before she took a deep breath and applied a thin layer of color.

"Riley" Lucas' voice came from the other side of the door, "Are you almost ready?"

She was quiet for a moment before she opened the door, "Just have to get my shoes on." She couldn't look at him, she feared if she looked at him before she left the room, they wouldn't leave.

Lucas was already on edge, but this was just torture. That's what she was here for to punish him, but what had been his crime? Hadn't he suffered enough? How many cold showers could a man take? How many times could he pleasure himself before any sense of sanity was gone?

He couldn't take his eyes off her, the red dress short, riding up just enough to make him want to drop to his knees and worship her entire body until she begged him to stop as he watched her bend over to slip on her shoes.

No way in hell was he leaving her side at any point in the evening. It would take at least a dozen men to pull him away, and even then, they wouldn't be successful.

How in the world was he going to survive, it hadn't even been a week, and they had to survive until November?

"You look absolutely amazing Riley, you need to cut it out or all the women in this town will hate me and never vote for me." He tried to tease but he had a feeling it was at least partially true.

"They'll still vote for you." She couldn't stop herself from looking to him, her eyes slowly moving up his body from his dark jeans, the baby blue button down shirt, and the red and white tie he wore, "Am I over dressed, because Gigi said this was perfect."

Lucas made a mental note to thank and kill his sister later for getting Riley into that dress, "It's perfect, you're perfect."

She blushed, no one made her blush the way he did.

So why wasn't she with him?

Because he only wanted a notch in his headboard, he didn't want forever with her. She was a challenge, something he wanted and didn't have. If he found out he'd had her, would he even want her now?

"Have you given Gigi her present yet?"

"No, I should, I should go do that." Lucas stammered before backing out of the room and knocking on Gigi's door across the hall.

His sister opened her door, she wore the white dress Riley had gotten her that afternoon, her hair half up and half down. "What's up Luc?"

He pulled the box from his pocket, "Happy Birthday Gigi."

"Luc, you didn't have to, but you're the best." She hugged him before she opened the box to discover the earrings he'd gotten her, "They're perfect, thank you!"

"You're welcome, hey who else do I have to spoil?"

Gigi held her tongue, she wanted to tell him to spoil Riley, but the way things were right now it wouldn't do them any good. The doorbell rang before she could say anything.

"Who the hell is ringing the doorbell?" Lucas looked around.

"My date." Gigi told him as she moved to put her earrings on quickly and grabbed her bag.

"Who has a date?" Zay slid into the hall, he was wearing black pants, a button-down shirt much like Lucas' and his eyes were glued to Gigi.

She looked around, "I do, I don't want to keep Deacon waiting, excuse me."

Zay was trying to process this all, a few nights ago, she'd invited him to join her in bed, she'd kissed him, and now she was going on a date…with Deacon, Lucas' intern. He didn't think he just followed Gigi down the stairs. "You have a date?" He asked when he knew that Lucas was still upstairs and Gigi hadn't opened the door yet.

"Yeah, I do, is that a problem Zay?"

He didn't know, part of him thought it was, part of him thought it wasn't. "No, I'm just, I'm surprised."

"I'm single, Deacon is single, why not go out?" She looked to Zay wondering if he was jealous, she really couldn't tell so she smiled and opened the door.

Deacon had a small bouquet of red, white, and blue carnations, "Happy Birthday Gigi, um I wanted to get pink ones since I know that's your favorite color, but all anyone had were these."

Gigi accepted the flowers, "That's so thoughtful of you Deacon," she breathed in the scent for a moment before she looked to Zay, "Could you put this in some water for me?"

"Yeah, no problem." He told her, but it was a problem, why the hell was another man giving her flowers? _Because you're too scared of Lucas to even think of giving her flowers_. He grabbed the first thing he could and filled it with water, dropping the flowers in before going back to find Gigi already down the porch and getting into Deacon's car.

"He's a good kid." Lucas reminded Zay as he looked out the front door, "It's good to see Gigi getting out, she spends way too much time with us."

"Yeah, you're right, she does." Zay knew it was true, she was young, she should be with someone her age, and he should be with someone his age.

"Come on, let's go." Lucas pushed Zay towards the door as they turned to see Riley coming down the stairs.

"How are you two not locked in your bedroom right now?" Zay leaned over to ask.

"Every waning ounce of self-control I have is keeping me from throwing her over my shoulder right now." Lucas confessed.

Zay shook his head, "I don't know how the two of you are ever going to make it without giving in."

"She's so much stronger than I am." Lucas confessed, "She must really love Dave."

Zay shook his head, "You're an idiot. Let's go."

Lucas just glared at Zay as they left with Riley behind them.

* * *

Dixie walked into the church social hall and looked around. She saw the usual clusters of people, though she was shocked to see Gigi Friar flirting with Deacon Hughes, Gloria May was already stuffing her face at the snack table. She rolled her eyes wondering how her best friend could be such a cliché.

Country music was playing from the band, she waved to Dylan who was singing, he was always good for a little bit of fun. As she continued to let her eyes sweep around the room she saw Lucas, with Riley draped over him in a short dress.

She sighed, wishing she could think of a way to get rid of this woman.

"Aren't they just adorable." Mrs. Miller came up to Dixie, "It's nice to finally see Lucas settling down."

"They won't last, she'll get bored here, run back to New York." Dixie countered.

"Oh, honey he told me he plans to marry her." Mrs. Miller poured herself a cup of punch form the bowl, "When he came in to register to run for mayor he told me he hopes to be in soon for a marriage license."

Dixie glared across the room.

"It's never going to happen honey, he's just not that into you." Mrs. Miller patted her on the head and left to return to her friends.

She watched Riley and Lucas, trying to understand what he saw in her. As far as Dixie could see Riley was some stuck-up New York bitch, she would never fit in here in Texas. It was then she realized what she was going to have to do, show Lucas that he needed a good Texas woman, the bake-off was at the end of August. Dixie would just have to win, and Riley wouldn't even think to enter, city girls never thought of such things.

* * *

The music switched into a slow song, Lucas felt his heart speed up as Riley smiled to him as she allowed him to pull her in closer to dance.

"Do you remember that dance in the seventh grade where we were like an arm's length apart?" he asked softly into her ear.

Riley smiled, "Yes, do you remember the way Farkle was dragging Maya around the dance floor?"

Lucas chuckled, "Just an FYI, Dixie has been sending us dirty looks since she walked in."

"Good, that means this is working." Riley rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes for a moment.

What did she need from him, other than everything he had to give her. She needed to know he wanted her, wanted the life with her they could've had when they were younger.

Lucas enjoyed the feel of her in his arms as they swayed to the song. The scent of her fruity shampoo, the body spray that always complimented it. What did he need to do, what did he need to say to get her to understand he wanted her for the rest of their lives?

Riley held onto Lucas, trying to rationalize why everything felt so right with him, but the night before she'd found an excuse not to be with the man she planned to marry.

When the song ended, she pulled away, "I'm just going to go and get something to drink, do you want anything?"

"No, I'm fine." He watched her leave, his eyes glued to her.

"So," The voice was like gravel, "You're running against me huh?"

"Mayor Harris, how are you this evening?"

"Doing fine Dr. Friar, so you think you can be mayor?" The older man looked Lucas over, hating that he had to look up at the younger man.

Lucas smiled to the older man, "I think it's up to the people of Rosewood Springs to decide that. Do they want the status quo or do they want to see us move forward?"

Mayor Harris nodded, "You got yourself a fine little filly there, but why not a local girl?"

"Riley has had my heart since the day I met her in the seventh grade." Lucas felt oddly safe being able to say that, "She'll always have a hold on it, she's my other half. I'm a better man with her around."

"You never gave the women of this town a chance, like my niece Dixie."

Lucas sighed wishing Riley would come over to save him, only as he looked around he saw her taking a long drink of punch while listening to Gloria May. They were both trapped, "Dixie is a special woman," Lucas told the Mayor, "But I am not the man for her. She needs someone who can devote all their attention to her, I could never do that. At least some of my attention needs to be on my patients, like that horse of yours Stardust."

"And Riley can handle you splitting your attention between her, your patients, and our lovely little town?"

"Yes, she can." Lucas looked over, "Excuse me, but I have to go save Riley from Gloria May and the punch."

Riley could tell the punch had something in it besides fruit juice and ginger ale, but it was the only thing she could focus on besides the gossip that Gloria May decided she needed to know. She was sure this woman was nice, they could maybe be friendly, but at this particular moment Riley just didn't want to know that Asher had signed up for an online dating site just for farmers.

"Excuse me Gloria May, could I steal Riley for a moment or two?" Lucas came up behind Riley, his touch prickling through her entire body.

She wasn't sure if it was just him or the punch, or was it a combination of the two of them as he took her to the dance floor as another slow song played, "Thank you for the save." She was caught in his green eyes, noticing the way they seemed to sparkle when he smiled.

"I'm afraid to ask how much punch you had." He held her close, sure that any moment she'd really start to feel it.

"At least four, she just kept talking, and talking." Riley sighed as she rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

Lucas kissed the top of her head, "I should've warned you, Mrs. Taylor, the ministers wife makes the punch, and she always spikes it with a couple of bottles of vodka."

"That's why I'm all warm and fuzzy right now." She giggled.

"Giggly Riley huh, should I get you home?"

She nodded, "Yeah." She sighed starting sway against the music.

Zay came over as he saw Lucas leading Riley off the dance floor, "Are we at giggly Riley?"

"Yeah, she drank the punch, we forgot to warn her." Lucas explained, "You staying, or you coming home?"

"I think I'll stick around, I can always find my way home." Zay told him, "Or crash in my office if I really have to."

"Okay," Lucas looked around, "Keep an eye on Gigi would you, I mean Deacon's a good kid, but still."

Zay nodded, he wouldn't admit it but he'd caught a glimpse or two, or fifteen of Gigi and Deacon throughout the night. She looked happy, like she was having fun. Wasn't that what he wanted for her?

"Come on sweetheart let's get you home." Lucas guided Riley outside, the night air still warm, the sky just dark enough as the fireworks display began.

Riley stopped walking, resting into Lucas' body, feeling his arms wrap around her. "It's beautiful."

"I mean it's not the Macy's display, but it's pretty spectacular."

She sighed as she watched the display, the air already filling with the scent of the powder, the sky lighting up every few moments with the burst of sparks, "Other than the punch no one warned me about, tonight was fun."

"Yeah it was," Lucas started leading her to the car again as the fireworks show continued, he got her into the passenger seat and buckled in before gently closing the door.

He wasn't sure how to describe her in this moment other than everything he could ever want.

* * *

Lucas had a feeling Riley probably had more than just four glasses of punch, she was dancing in her seat and giggling through most of the ride home as the stereo played upbeat country songs. She even sang along to a few of them.

When they got back to the house he helped her out of the car and she slipped her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes, "You're a good man Lucas." She slurred just enough

"You have no idea how much that means to me to hear you say that." He told her as he tried to lead her up to the house but she started to stumble in her shoes so he quickly lifted her up, one arm behind her back the other behind her knees.

Riley's breath caught as she felt him lift her up, sure she'd accidentally had more to drink than she would've wanted to, but the clarity she was feeling in this moment, right here, right now was everything to her.

Lucas.

He was the one.

She held on to him as this realization trickled through her body with each step he took up the stairs before bringing her into her bedroom.

Lucas gently put her down to sit on the bed before he ran his hands down her legs to remove her shoes.

Riley giggled some more, "My prince charming."

Lucas looked up to her, "You should get to bed."

Riley grabbed his tie pulling him to her, "We should."

"You're drunk Ri." He reminded her as he willed every ounce he had left of self-control.

She pouted, "At least help me out of this dress."

He grunted, "Temptress" as he helped her stand and turn around, his fingers pulling the zipper down, exposing her back as he helped push the dress off of her shoulders and arms.

She turned to him as she shimmied the dress down her body, wearing nothing but a matching red lace bra and panties. Her fingers climbing up his tie, "Kiss me."

"Riley, you're drunk." He reminded her again as he backed away, "I want to be with you, I don't think you understand how much I want to be with you. How much I need you, how much I want to spend every night for the rest of our lives making love to you until sunrise. What man needs sleep when he could have you?"

She took a few steps towards him before tripping over her own feet and falling against his chest, her lips pressed against his Adams apple and moved up his neck.

"I want you to remember the first time we make love." His words came out as moans.

Riley stopped kissing him, pulling away as she moved to the door with her hand over her mouth.

Lucas was right behind her as she made her way to the bathroom, finding herself in front of the toilet just in time.

He sat on the floor next to her, rubbing her back. "It's okay, most people can't handle the punch their first time out."

Riley heaved several times before she flushed and sat up. Her giggles gone in the haze of sickness.

Lucas grabbed a wash cloth, running it under the cold water and then ringing it of the excess before he gently placed it on her forehead for a moment and then the back of her neck. "Next time you need to escape from Gloria May don't just drink and drink."

Riley sighed as she found herself cuddling into him as he took care of her.

"Let's get you to bed." He gently helped her up and slowly walked her back to her room.

Riley sat on the bed, "Could you get me the blue t-shirt, bottom drawer?"

Lucas went to the dresser and pulled out the worn, blue, V-neck men's t-shirt. His stomach doing a flip flop for a moment before he turned around.

Riley had removed her bra, flinging it across to the floor and laid down on the bed, hugging her pillow.

She was going to be the death of him, was it possible to die from being turned on every single second of every single day?

Lucas sat her up pulling the t-shirt on her. If he didn't know better, he would think it was the one he lost in Las Vegas to the mystery woman.

As she laid down she took his hand, kissing it, "I remember the first time we made love." And then fell asleep.

Lucas felt his heart quicken, if only she was making sense right now. He slipped his hand from her grip and started to move away from her, when he saw the t-shirt ride up over her hip, and from just above the waistline of her panties he saw the small tattoo.

He leaned closer, could he really be seeing what he was seeing?

He went into his room. He sat on the bed as he tried to place what just happened.

It couldn't be her, could it?

She was in Las Vegas then.

He closed his eyes, he could see it now. It came flooding back to him at lightning speed.

Seeing her, kissing her, telling her he still loved her, asking her to marry him, making love to her. Waking up and she was gone, with his t-shirt.

All those dreams he'd had of her in Las Vegas weren't dreams, they were memories.

He went to the nightstand and took out his Bible, removing the note he'd kept for so long and never really read.

The truth was just beyond the seal, and it had the power to confirm the biggest secret and destroy him all at once.

He ran a hand over his face, trying to decide what to do before he finally let his finger break through the glue before he pulled out the note inside.

He felt sick the moment he saw her words on the page.

He could want Riley Matthews for everything in the world, but he'd lost her years before because he hadn't read this letter.

How in the world was he ever going to make this up to her?

By doing the one thing he didn't want to do.

Let her go.

Allow her to leave in November, let he go and marry Dave, a man who wouldn't leave her waiting at a chapel in Las Vegas and not show up. If this was the life she wanted, if this was the life that was going to make her happy, he wouldn't deny her that.

He would control his own desire, just to make her happy.


	19. -lead me not into temptation-

_**Author Note: I swear I didn't mean to leave you all hanging for so long, but a sinus infection just knocked me out of commission Saturday and Sunday. I didn't even get to go to my nephew's birthday party I was so sick :(**_ _ **But I'm better, and back with a new chapter I hope you all enjoy. I'll be around on tumblr or twitter if you want to yell at me.**_

* * *

 **-lead me not into temptation-**

Riley wanted to bury her head under the pillows, the sounds of the birds chirping outside fought with the pounding in her own head.

What the hell happened last night?

She was in her own bed this time, thankful for that. But how did she get out of her dress, how did she get into this t-shirt?

Slowly she sat up, resting her head in her hands as her elbows balanced on her knees.

They had gone to the dance, she wore that short red dress, she'd danced with Lucas, she had some punch while she got cornered by Gloria May.

Slowly she pushed herself up and out of the bed, grabbing a pair of yoga pants to pull on before going downstairs.

"There you are." Lucas' voice was cheerful as he came up the stairs with a cup of coffee, "I was just coming to check on you."

"What happened" She squinted her eyes, why on earth was it so damn bright?

"Go back to bed Riley," he led her back to the bedroom. "Drink this, then drink a ton of water when you can."

She sat on her bed, looking around, the other side didn't look slept in. She bit her lip, trying to find a tactful way, "Um, crazy question."

"Zay and I forgot to warn you that while she might be the ministers wife Mrs. Taylor spikes the punch, and you drank a lot of it when Gloria May cornered you while I was cornered by Mayor Harris."

Riley covered her face with her fingers, "Oh God I didn't do anything stupid, did I?"

He reached up to brush the fallen lock of hair from her eyes, "Nope, at least not in public. I realized what happened and got you home as soon as I could."

"Thank you, how did I um, end up in this?"

"You asked for this shirt, so I got it out of your drawer for you." He looked away, "This is weird, this whole pretending to be together thing."

"Yeah, I guess it is." She picked up the mug of coffee holding it close to her for warmth.

"I know you love Dave, and I know I've been out of line." This was harder than he realized it would be, "I don't want to do anything that is going to come between your happiness, and if Dave makes you happy, I want to make sure that nothing that happens here stops you from having the life you want."

"Yeah, we just have to remember that what happens in public isn't real." She looked up to him, "Are you sure nothing else happened last night I need to know?"

"You got sick, I did see you topless for a moment." He blushed as he pushed himself up off the bed, "Dave is a lucky man, I hope he knows how lucky he is. Where'd you get that shirt, you're practically swimming in it."

She looked down, "Um, I took it from the guy I lost my virginity to. It was going to be my something blue when we got married, but he didn't show up."

"I bet he's kicking himself every day for not marrying you, I know I would, you know if I'd had the chance." He looked back to her, "I'll check on you later, feel better Ri."

"Thanks Lucas." She watched him leave, something had changed, she didn't know what but she could feel it.

Whatever it was, maybe it was for the best. Maybe whatever tension existed between them could finally settle and they could move on.

* * *

Before the day was over Riley and Lucas had been asked to join the couples bowling team, she'd been invited to join Gloria May's book club, and they had plans for several dinners out over the next few weeks along with the other activities they were already planning to partake in.

With the unconventional nature of her relationship with Lucas, Riley found herself at several lunches a week with different ladies' groups. She was shocked that a small town had so many organizations.

When anyone asked, what Riley did, she explained that she was a partner in a consulting firm, and could telecommute, and still advise her clients and meet with her partners. That she and Lucas really wanted to make it work, they knew they had to spend time together.

The weeks flew by in the haze, Riley read each paranormal romance novel about shape shifters that Gloria May picked for the book club and socialized with a smile on her face. She enjoyed the company of most of the women, even Gloria May.

It was mid-August when Lucas came to her on a Saturday morning. She was sitting on the porch swing reading the next book Gloria May had picked out when he sat next to her, "So, I realized something this morning." He told her as he looked out to ranch, so thankful he had a good staff that handled most of the day to day stuff.

"What did you realize?" She looked up from the book about a billionaire werewolf.

"That you paid ten-thousand dollars for a date and I haven't taken you on it. Are you sure you don't want me to pay you back for that? It's a lot of money Riley."

"It's for a good cause and I can afford it." She put the book down, "What even was the date package? I was so caught up in making sure Dixie didn't get her claws into you that I kind of don't remember much."

"Private picnic and horseback riding, we could go this afternoon if you want. Get a few Instagram pictures if you think that's a good idea." Lucas was worried about being alone with her. He'd done so well the last few weeks, he'd taken two cold showers a day, sometimes a third. If only to snap him out of the spell she would cast over him with a look.

"Let's go this afternoon," She smiled, "And it better be good Friar, I did pay a pretty penny for this date."

Couldn't this be their future? His heart broke yet again, he'd lost count of how many times it had over the last few weeks if he let himself for a moment think they could be something. "I'm going to run into town, and be back in a few hours. This will be good."

"It better be, I plan to make this worth it." He started down the porch steps, glancing back to see her not only watching him, but smiling.

* * *

Riley felt butterflies swirling in her stomach. She and Lucas were going to be alone in a romantic setting, she wasn't sure she could survive it. The only way she'd lasted the last few weeks was when he took over all fantasies she conjured up.

"Hey Ri" Lucas called from the other side of the door, "Put your suit on under your clothes, we'll be down by the swimming hole."

"Okay great." She called out as she went to pull out the blue tankini out from the drawer and quickly put it on, "I'll be ready in a few minutes."

"You don't need to rush." He told her, though he was cursing himself for suggesting bathing suits, but it was better than getting out there and ending up in their underwear, or worse naked, not that he didn't want to be naked with her.

"Just trying to find my shoes." She called out as she pulled on the pair of boots she had that she felt would work okay. She studied herself in the mirror, her tankini covered by her jeans, white t-shirt, and the plaid shirt she threw on top. When she opened the door, she burst into a laugh when she saw Lucas wearing something almost identical, "Are you serious?"

"If you're wearing a blue bathing suit this is going to be really weird." Lucas felt his breath hitch the moment he saw her. He just had to get through the rest of August, then September, and October, November would come, the election would happen, and then Riley would disappear back to New York.

"I am, it's the only one I have with me."

"We'll just have to look like one of those ridiculous couples that dress alike on purpose then." He led her downstairs, "You do look beautiful."

"Thank you" She blushed, "So how does this work?"

"I've got the horses loaded up, you'll ride Wind, I'll ride Thunder."

"Okay, sounds good." Riley followed him down to where he had the horses hitched. He helped her mount Wind, and she looked over to watch as he mounted Thunder, "I haven't done this in a while." She confessed.

"Don't worry, just follow me." He called back to her as he signaled to Thunder to go, which got Wind starting as well. "Relax Riley, you've done this before, and I'm right here."

"I know, it's just been a while." She held her own as they rode down the property, Lucas helping her dismount when they arrived at the spot ten minutes later. His hands on her waist, holding her, that alone felt orgasmic. She wasn't sure how long she could really stay in Texas, she was falling in love with Lucas all over again, even with a daily phone call to Dave, that all felt so far away, so distant, not real at all.

Lucas felt real. The easy kisses they would share, the touches, the nudges, the high fives when one of them got a strike while bowling.

As she slid into his arms, she knew she couldn't deny this much longer. At least not to herself. It was Lucas, it was always Lucas, and it would always be Lucas.

"I have the perfect spot." He stopped to take a picture for Instagram of the view, before he grabbed the basket he'd had strapped to Thunder and led her over to it. "Beautiful huh?"

Riley took in the view, "It's breathtaking." She didn't know why but she felt as if the space was familiar, and when she turned back to Lucas who was setting up the picnic she realized why. When he'd moved back to Texas, she would have these dreams of this spot, of Lucas, proposing.

"It's one of my favorite spots on the ranch." He told her as he set things up. "I got us a bottle of Pink Moscato, and um, I made us some fruit salad, got us some bread and cheese. And I got us some dessert for later as well."

"Cake?"

"Would I get us anything else, of course not." He smiled as he stood up, "How'd I do?"

Riley took a few steps towards him, she reached up to caress his face because she couldn't help herself, "It's beautiful, just perfect."

He took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips and kissing her palm, "Let's have this date you paid way too much money for."

"I would've paid twenty-thousand if I had to, to keep Dixie from thinking she could get you." She confessed.

"Dixie has never had a chance with me, she just thinks she has one. As if I didn't know she hooks up with Dylan any chance she gets." Lucas shook his head as he opened the wine and poured Riley a glass.

She sat down on the blanket and sipped her wine, "It's her attitude, you know who she reminds me of, Missy."

"I can tell." Lucas smirked, "But you were jealous of Missy, you're not jealous of Dixie."

"Well, which one of us is sitting here, right now with you? Not Missy, and not Dixie."

Lucas took a sip of his wine, "I think if anyone would be jealous it would be Dave. Since I'm here with you."

"Maybe, he's out on the boat today with Avery, so he's happy right now."

"Who exactly is Avery?"

"She's another lawyer at his firm, she loves boating, doesn't have one of her own, but she's always willing to go with Dave. Plus, Charlie is with them, Maya won't set foot on the boat since she's pregnant again, but sometimes the kids go with them."

"I still can't believe that Maya is the one married with kids." Lucas looked to her, "I really figured you would be the one settled down first."

"Well it happens when it's meant to happen." Riley looked over to the water, "Come on you must picture marrying someone someday, having some kids, passing the ranch down."

"I've still got Gigi, I could marry her off and pass the ranch down to her kids." Lucas teased, "There was um, someone, but I lost my chance with her. I moved back to Texas in high school and lost her."

"Lucas" Riley felt the tears in her eyes before she finished off the wine in her glass, "We should swim before be eat."

"Yeah good idea." Why had this been what he planned, because he thought he'd hang out with his sister, eat a tuna sandwich, it had never occurred to him he'd be here with Riley in the place where he'd plan to propose to her all those years ago.

Riley looked at the path to the water before she stood up and pulled off her clothes revealing the blue tankini beneath. She turned her head to glance towards Lucas, catching him as he pulled off his t-shirt. She felt her mouth go dry, she'd avoided seeing him without a shirt since the morning she woke up in his bed.

Lucas got it now, he understood why he was being punished with her so near, but damn she was tempting as she smiled to him and jumped into the water. He followed, the water crisp, but clearing his mind for a moment before he looked to her.

Riley splashed him before swimming away, "You chasing after me or not Friar?" She called out.

Lucas ran a hand over his face before he went after her, catching up quickly, his arms slipping around her waist as he held her against his body, "Caught you." He breathed into her ear as he felt her hands run over his arms.

"That you did." She leaned her body against his as their feet sank into the sediment. She bit her lip as she felt his hands on her, "Now what are you going to do with me?" She covered his hand with hers, guiding it to her hip.

"I can think of a few things." He told her before he lift her up and tossed her a few feet, hearing her laugh and scream all at the same time.

"Lucas" She called out when she splashed him again.

"Catch me" he dared her as he started to swim away, underestimating her determination as he felt her wrap her arm around his shoulders.

"I caught you." Her voice sultry as she took his earlobe between her teeth.

Temptation had a name, and that name was Riley Matthews. "Riley" He breathed before feeling her slip around his body to the front, her legs wrapping around his waist as her arms snaked around his neck.

"Lucas" her fingers slipped into his hair as she dropped her lips to his. Her body coming alive as she slipped her tongue into his mouth, urging him to return it.

He could only be so strong for so long before he gave in, returning her kiss, the feel of her tongue exploring his mouth. If these stolen moments were all he ever got of her, he was going to enjoy them as he held her against his body, kissing her in the water, thankful no one else was around.

Riley pulled as close to him as she could, his hands moving up and down her back as he pressed her against him.

Lucas heard her moan into the kiss as he pulled away to kiss her neck.

Her eyes were closed as his lips moved down her neck, her head thrown back as his lips moved down further south.

Lucas opened his eyes only enough to guide them out of the water and back to the blanket, he needed to touch her, taste her, whatever gifts she would allow of him.

Her fingers ran down his back as they moved out of the water, she just wanted to feel him for a few minutes, to live in this fantasy as if it could be real.

When he arrived at the blanket he stopped for a moment, before slowly lowering himself and her down. He kissed her, hoping she felt everything he was feeling for her. All the years he'd loved her, all the years he'd yearned for her, and all the love he had for her that had blossomed since the day she stepped out of that car and back into his life.

Lucas would never deny that he had fallen in love with her all over again. He couldn't tell you when it happened, but it had, even when he tried not to think about it, he did.

Riley pushed Lucas so he was beneath her, she kissed along his jawline with the slight golden stubble because he hated to shave if he didn't have to. She moved down his neck to his Adams Apple as her fingers slid down the lines of his chest.

Her lips mapped a trail down his chest before she looked up through her eyelashes to see him biting his lip as his fingers twisted in the ends of her hair.

"I could get lost in you" She told him as her fingers traced over his lips, "I could get lost forever, it would be so easy Lucas."

He nodded, "I know." He scratched his neck, "We should eat."

Riley nodded but took his hand in hers, tracing the lines of his palm with her finger, "I wish, I wish."

He brought a finger to her lip, "Shh, please don't say anything that you can't take back. I don't want you to regret anything about this time in Texas. You have a wonderful future ahead of you with Dave, you'll have those kids, and they'll run around a boat."

Didn't he get it, she only wanted kids if they were running around a ranch, this ranch. "I promise I won't regret anything." She just needed to figure out how to get what she wanted.

Lucas handed her a container of fruit and he scooted away to put space between them. They could never be alone together, it was a sad, honest fact, even a glass of wine in each of them and they started to give in.

He needed to change the subject, "Are you thinking of entering the bake off?"

Riley picked through the fruit as she looked up to him, "Yeah, I haven't decided what just yet, but Gloria May has given me really no choice but to enter."

He picked through his own container of fruit, "Have you put any thought into what you'll make?"

"Not yet, I might call my Mom, ask her for a recipe." She gave Lucas a smile, "Would it be good or bad for you if I won?"

"Well if you won it would probably drive Dixie insane, but it would also show people that you're not just some big city girl just be having the guts to enter."

Riley nodded, "So I should totally enter."

"Yeah you should, you're an amazing baker."

"Thanks, I'm a little rusty."

"Bullshit."

"Excuse me?"

He sat up closer to her, "Riley you've been baking at least twice a week since you got here. If that's you rusty, then damn honey I'm not sure I could handle you baking in practice."

"If anyone could handle me it would be you." The words escaped her before she could even think about them, but she didn't want to take them back.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence." He sat away from her again, "Hey um, do you know what's bothering Zay? He's been in a mood for weeks and I can't pinpoint it."

Riley picked up the bottle of wine, "Oh you need a drink for my theory." She refilled his glass.

Lucas watched her, "Oh boy, what?"

"Drink first." She told him as she refilled her own glass and took a sip for courage, "I think Zay might be a little jealous about Gigi dating Deacon."

"Ha ha, very funny Ri." Lucas shook his head until he realized she was serious. "Wait explain please."

"I think something might have been going on between them, when I first got here I didn't see the brother sister kind of relationship I expected between them. But then Gigi started to date Deacon, and then Zay keeps getting moodier each week. Anytime that Deacon is mentioned he tenses up." Riley took a long sip from her wine.

"So, you think Zay has feelings for Gigi?" Lucas took a long sip of his wine.

"I don't think it's one-sided, I think Gigi at least thought she had feelings for Zay. He's never had the best luck in love, has he?"

"No, he really hasn't." Lucas sat up, pulling his knees in, resting his arms on them as he watched Riley, the way the sun hit her skin, the way her now damp hair rested on her shoulders, "How did we get here?"

"Horseback, remember?"

"Funny, but really, how are we this old, with these lives, these weren't the ones I imagined for any of us."

Riley shrugged before moving closer to him, "I don't know," she gently placed a hand on his arm, "I just know that in this moment, I wouldn't want to share it with anyone else."

He turned to her, not speaking as her fingers caressed his cheek and her eyes dropped to his lips as a smile crossed over hers.

It was soft, sweet as she kissed him. Different then the needy kisses in stolen moments and the ones they shared in public for the façade.

She put her wine glass down, and then took his to put down. She continued to kiss him, feeling his arms wrap around her as he pulled her into his lap.

Lucas followed her lead, going slow, keeping things soft as he was sure he heard her purr into the kiss. His hands slid down her mostly bare back, his fingers undoing the knots that held her bathing suit top up.

His hands were somehow both rough and smooth, her body prickling at his touch. She felt his hand under the tankini top, each massaging a breast and she arched her body to him, no other man could do this to her, make her feel alive and in heaven all at once.

Her fingers twisted in the hair at the nape of his neck, her lips breaking from his to explore his jawline and neck. She could hear his moans of pleasure vibrating in his throat as her lips made contact.

She shifted in his lap, and he was sure he was going to die with just the bathing suits between them.

Riley could feel him, every inch of him yearning for her, craving him. She let her fingers dance down his body before just slipping under the elastic of his swim trunks.

"Riley" he gasped when he felt her feather light touch against his aroused manhood.

"Yes?" she adjusted their position, pushing him on his back.

God, he was going to hate himself for this, "We need to stop."

Her fingers ran over him, and she watched as he closed his eyes, "Do we? I thought all I had to do was say the word and you were mine."

It took everything he had to stop, to remove her hand, to look into her deep brown need you, eyes, "I want you Riley, in more ways than you'll ever understand. I won't let you do something that will destroy your future with Dave. I couldn't live with myself if for one afternoon of pure bliss, I destroyed your whole world."

Riley nodded, feeling the tears in her eyes as she grabbed her clothes.

"Riley" Lucas grabbed her arm, "I want you to be happy, if that's Dave, I can't stand in the way."

"I understand, you're still Lucas the Good, deep down." She pulled her t-shirt on, "We should get back to the house. This was nice Lucas, thank you."

"You're welcome." He could tell she was trying not to cry, holding back tears, he wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her it would all be okay, but he couldn't.

* * *

The sun was setting when they got back to the house. Riley dismounted from Wind and went inside, getting away from Lucas the first second she could.

She went straight upstairs to the bathroom, stripped off all the clothes she'd been wearing and turned the shower on before climbing in under the spray.

Everything she'd been holding in since he'd rejected her just now flooded from her. She knew he was right, she had a future set with Dave, but it wasn't what she wanted, it wasn't what made her happy.

Just as she finally stopped crying, and her breathing became controlled she heard her phone ringing. She turned the shower off and got out, finding it in the pile of her clothes. "Smackle, what's up?"

" _Riley, we need you to return to New York this evening. You're already booked for a flight in a few hours, I've sent along the information. You and I need to meet tomorrow morning at nine at our office."_

"On a Sunday?" Riley wrapped a towel around her body, "Smackle what's going on?"

" _We'll discuss it tomorrow morning. I know you're in the middle of Lucas' campaign but this can't wait. You'll be able to go back to Texas once this situation is taken care of."_

Whatever was going on she didn't like it, she didn't like the way Smackle was explaining things—or rather not explaining them. "What's the crisis?"

" _Nothing to worry about Riley, just go pack a quick travel bag, and be here at nine."_

Riley looked at the phone to see that Smackle had hung up on her. What the hell could be going on that she had to get back to New York for? She quickly grabbed her things, and went to her room.

Smackle had said all she needed was a travel bag, so it couldn't be anything too bad. Riley quickly dressed and packed, she picked up the ring from Dave and tossed it in the bag.

"Riley, can we talk?" Lucas called from the other side of the door just as she flung it open, "Where are you going?"

"New York, Smackle called she needs me in the office tomorrow morning."

"Don't run away from us." He pleaded, one of them had to stop running, wasn't that what they'd been doing for far too long?

Riley looked at him from the stairs, "I'm going back for business, I'm not even taking all my stuff Lucas. I'll be back."

He followed her down the stairs, "When?"

"I don't know exactly when, just be honest with everyone tell them I got called back for an emergency at the office." She opened the driver's seat of her rental car before looking up to him, "I'll be back, I promise."

Lucas felt fear crashing over him as he watched her, what if this was the last time he ever saw her? What if he never got the chance to tell her how he felt? He grabbed her by the hips and twirled her to face him, his lips crashing down as her back was pressed against the car. He felt her clinging to him as if he were her only lifeline before he pulled away, planting soft kisses along her cheek before he spoke softly into her ear, "I remember you and me in Las Vegas."

Riley blinked several times as Lucas pulled away, she didn't know what to say to him, "I'll be back Lucas, I promise."

He nodded, knowing that she fully believed it but also understanding that the chances of her coming back were low. Sure in a few days he and Gigi would pack her things up, mail them back to New York.

Riley Matthews was leaving, and Lucas knew he could survive without the sound of her laughter, the feel of her lips against his, he didn't think he wanted to.

As her car sped down the driveway, he watched until he couldn't see it in the distance before he went up to his office and took out his bottle of whiskey, and poured himself a stiff glass.

* * *

Riley tried to focus on driving to Austin, checking in for her flight, returning the car. Everything she could other than the smoldering kiss Lucas had left her with and the confession he remembered their night in Las Vegas. She had so many questions she need to ask him, so many things she wanted to know.

First, she had to deal with whatever this crisis was at the office, and then she would have to talk to Dave. She couldn't keep pretending, and she didn't think it was fair to keep up this façade, no it was clear to her that she had been running all these years from what she wanted, who she wanted.

As she sat on the plane, she just hoped that whatever Smackle needed from her, wouldn't keep her from getting back to Lucas, and telling him how she really felt. If he rejected her after that, so be it. She would accept it, but deep down she knew he wasn't going to reject her, and that probably scared her more than anything else could.

He'd been right weeks before when he said this was their chance, she had to take it didn't she?


	20. -the smell of your skin-

_**Author Note: You guys are seriously the best! I do think you'll be surprised by at least part of this chapter. . .maybe, at least I hope.**_

* * *

 **-the smell of your skin-**

Riley slipped her key into the last lock on the door before opening it, and slipping inside. The apartment still had that familiar smell that was purely her family. It was sweet, warm, and homey, as soon as it filled her senses she knew she was home. But something felt different this time as she moved through the apartment.

"Who is it, I've got a gun." Her father's voice cut through the air.

"Daddy, it's just me." Riley rolled her eyes as she went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

Cory turned on the lights as he studied her, "Aren't you supposed to be in…Texas?"

She sighed, "Smackle summoned me back for a meeting tomorrow morning here at the office."

"Somethings different with you."

"I'm tired, it's three in the morning Dad, I should get some sleep before whatever Smackle drops on me."

"No that's not what's different, it's that you've been around Lucas." Cory circled around his daughter, "I know the story."

"Dad, I'm too tired to deal with the Cory Matthews experience." She took her bag and went to the hall to her room, she could tell that her parents had cracked a window earlier that day to air it out. Her arrival probably not a surprise to them as it was to her. She quickly unpacked her bag, staring at the ring Dave gave her.

Why had she said yes to him?

She couldn't remember now.

But she could remember why she'd said yes to Lucas years ago.

She put the ring on her nightstand and changed for bed, setting the alarm on her phone to give her enough time to get dressed before the meeting in the morning.

Closing her eyes, she could only see Lucas and the beautiful picnic they'd had. Then she remembered what he told her after he kissed her goodbye.

He remembered Las Vegas.

How long had he remembered?

What made him remember?

These were the questions running through her mind as she tossed and turned before falling into an unrestful sleep.

When her alarm blared, startling her awake she was sure she'd just fallen asleep. She sat up in the bed, taking a moment to look around the room, it had always felt like home, until now, something was different and she couldn't put her finger on it.

She quickly got ready, dressing in one of the few suits she kept at home. She grabbed her bag and was already on her way out when her mother stopped her.

"Riley Chloe Matthews, breakfast."

She slowly turned around, "Mom, I have to be at the office at nine."

"Smackle and Farkle can wait." Topanga guided her daughter to the table, "Sit."

Riley obeyed her mother, wondering if this was really her life as woman in her thirties. She accepted the plate her mother handed her.

"So, California went well, and then where have you been?"

"Texas, helping Lucas Friar." She picked at the food in front of her.

Topanga nodded, "How is Lucas these days?"

"He's fine, he'll be better when he wins the election, and all the single women in Rosewood Springs stop treating his existence like an episode of _The Bachelor_."

Cory studied his daughter, "So, can you explain to your mother and I exactly what it is you're doing down there?"

Riley shifted uncomfortably, feeling knots in her shoulders suddenly. "It is unconventional I know, it's not what I normally would do, but the situation is abnormal."

Topanga looked to her husband, "Riley, you and Lucas have always done things your own way. Nothing about you two has ever been conventional. So, what are you doing?"

"I'm pretending to be his girlfriend, it shows that he is willing to settle down, but also it calms down most of the women, except this one, Dixie, who I swear just does not get that Lucas isn't into her. She's always trying to get his attention, touching him…"

"You're jealous" Topanga hadn't meant to say it, but she saw that as soon as she did Riley knew already.

"It's complicated, but its Lucas, when haven't things been complicated with him?"

"How's Dave?" Cory asked before shoving a forkful of breakfast potatoes into his mouth.

Riley took a sip of her coffee before rising, "I haven't called him yet, I'll call him after my meeting."

Topanga and Cory exchanged another look as Riley left. "So, Dave doesn't know she's in town huh?"

"Nope." Topanga allowed the P to pop as she spoke, "What is our daughter up to?"

Cory sighed, "I have no idea, I'm just worried she's still has a road of heartbreak."

"As the one with a broken heart or the one breaking hearts?"

"I don't know."

* * *

IRSM Consulting was housed in the Minkus building in Manhattan, the skyrise was high, one that Stuart Minkus had purchased sometime when they were in high school, slapped his name on, and inside created a home for up and coming boutique firms.

When Riley and Smackle came together to create their business, he had given them a nice break on the rent, and it helped that Farkle invested in them. Riley never spent much time in the actual office, in fact she was always shocked by how cold the office felt, not temperature wise but in the furniture, the lighting, it wasn't really the way she would've had things.

She took a nervous deep breath as she opened the glass office door with the logo on it and made her way through the quiet lobby, past her office that over the last few years she had spent only a handful of hours in to the conference room.

The lights were bright, the walls a glaring white as Riley came in, seeing just Smackle and Farkle sitting at the far end of the table.

She looked up at the clock, 8:58, so at least she wasn't late. But the fact that no one else was around had her nervous, if there was a crisis with a client shouldn't it be all hands-on deck as it had in the past?

Suddenly she felt like she'd been called to the principal's office as she felt both her friends watch her move down the table. "Where is everyone?"

"Riley, please have a seat." Smackle sat up straight adjusting her glasses before folding her hands in front of her.

Riley sat down, trying to find some sort of clue as to why she'd been called back to New York, why it was so important she had to fly back right away. "What is going on?"

Farkle and Smackle looked to each other for a moment before looking back to Riley.

Riley studied them in their suits, designer, black, basic, nothing flashy about either of them. Really it looked as though they would just pop into a church service as soon as this was over. "I left a client in Texas to come here, so what is going on."

"How is Lucas?" Farkle broke the silence from their end.

"He'll be better when I get back, because if I'm gone for long the single women will start circling and next thing you know it's a really weird version of _The Bachelor_." She looked to them, "Okay guys, what am I doing here, what is the problem?"

Smackle cleared her throat, "I've been tapped to be nominated for a new government position."

"Oh" Riley blinked wondering exactly what that meant, "For what?"

"I am not at liberty to actually discuss it right now." Smackle put her hand over Farkle's, "But due to this nomination, we would have to close the firm."

Riley felt only an inch tall, "Why?"

"It could be a conflict of interest." Farkle cleared his throat, "Before anything else goes forward Smackle and I wanted to make sure that you weren't just left with nothing."

Her entire body was shaking as she looked at them, "So everything we've built is just going to cease to exist?"

"Riley, you've done amazing work with our clients over the years." Smackle reminded her, "We don't want you to walk away from this without anything. We crunched the numbers, and we believe that what we're offering to buy you out today, is more than fair."

"You want to buy me out?"

Farkle stood up, holding his tie down with one hand and a packet of papers with another. "This is our offer, and the conditions that go along with it."

Riley took the papers from him, trying to ignore the anger burning inside of her, the heartbreak, the tears threatening her eyesight now as she took in a long breath before she started to look it over.

"Is this figure right here correct?" She pointed to the payment she would receive the minute she signed.

"Yes, it is." Farkle assured her.

She put the papers down for a moment, "I sign these, you two transfer an absurd amount of money into my account, and then what do I do? I can't work on a campaign; the contract forbids that. What am I supposed to do with my life?"

"You finally live it." Smackle rose and came around the table to Riley, "Are you good at helping candidates get elected, yes, because you see the good in them others don't, and you help them show the voters. Is that what you were meant to do for the rest of your life, come on Bubbles, you know it's not what you want. This life isn't what you want, it's never been what you wanted."

Riley watched as Smackle picked up the papers and continued, "This is your out, before this job destroys your soul, before you use it as a crutch to stop living the life you should."

Riley picked up the pen and rolled it between her fingers like a baton, "Can I volunteer for a campaign if the person running is my significant other?"

Farkle tried not to smile, "If you're romantically involved with someone running for office, I think it would be cruel of us to come after you for helping out. It would actually look bad if you didn't support him."

Riley looked at the papers again, slowly going over the language that would dissolve her partnership with Smackle, that would leave her unemployed. She took a deep breath before signing her name and then watching Farkle as he went to his laptop and quickly clicked away.

"Congratulations Riley, you are now ten-million dollars richer."

Riley rose from the table, "I'm just going to clear out what few things I have in my office. I wish you both luck."

Farkle sighed as she walked out, "We did the right thing, didn't we?"

"Yes, she's in shock right now. But this was the push she needed, and that we needed." She sat back in her seat, "I just hope Maya can push her in the right direction."

* * *

"It's Sunday morning this better be good." Maya grumbled as she pushed herself up from the couch, amazed at how difficult that already was as she went to answer the knocking on her door. She looked through the peephole and undid the lock, "Riley, what are you doing here?"

Riley moved in past Maya putting the bankers box down before sitting on the couch.

"Shouldn't you be in Texas playing the role of devoted girlfriend to Ranger Rick?" Maya sat next to her, still trying to understand why she was here and why Zay hadn't told her she'd left.

Riley turned her body to look at Maya, "I don't have a job."

"Lucas fired you?"

"No, Smackle bought me out." Riley blinked as the reality of the situation started to wash over her. "She and Farkle just paid me an obscene amount of money for my share of the firm."

Maya rubbed her forehead, "Can you just backup and explain why you're not in Texas?"

Riley sighed, "Smackle called, she'd already booked me a flight, she said there was an emergency. Yeah to get me out of the firm."

"So, you came back thinking you had a work crisis." Maya was putting the few pieces together, "And they paid you a lot of money, so now you don't have a job?"

"Yes." Riley sighed, running her hand through her dark hair.

"So, are you going back to Texas?"

Riley looked down at her nails, "How bad is it that I haven't told Dave I'm in town?"

"You already know the answer to that." Maya looked over at the time on the cable box, "Come with me."

"Where are, we going?" Riley helped Maya up before grabbing her box.

Maya smiled as she grabbed her keys and purse, "First we're going to drop this off at your place, and then you're going to come with me to meet up with Charlie and the kids."

* * *

Maya had insisted that Riley change out of her suit, into a pair of jeans and t-shirt. She'd also slipped Riley's engagement ring into her pocket before they left the Matthews family apartment and got in a cab down to the Marina in Brooklyn.

Riley was pulling out her phone when she found the ring, "Why is this in my pocket?"

"I figured you should have it since you're about to see your fiancé, put it on." Maya nudged her.

"I can't." Riley looked at the ring, she was silent for a minute, "I'm allergic to it."

"Why didn't you tell him that when he went down to Texas?"

"It didn't seem to be the most important thing, I didn't want him to think I was doing what I was doing because I was upset about it."

"Is that why?"

Riley shook her head before slipping the ring back into her pocket, "No, not even close."

"So why? We've got time before we get to the marina, so how about you stop hiding and you tell me why you came up with this plan for Lucas' campaign." Maya had heard the explanations Riley had given her, the ones to Dave, even what Zay thought, but she really wanted Riley to think about it now.

Riley kept her eyes on the skyscrapers, "Have you ever noticed how claustrophobic New York feels?"

"Nope, that never occurred to me." Maya watched her, "But I bet Texas isn't claustrophobic at all."

"Not at all." Riley took a moment before she looked back to her friend, "He remembers Las Vegas."

"What, since when, details woman."

"I don't know." She confessed, "He kissed me goodbye last night, it was as though he was afraid he would never see me again, and then he told me he remembers."

"He kissed you?"

Riley blinked, "It wasn't the first time, I mean we would kiss in public like a normal couple would, but if we were alone together. . ."

"Did you two do more than kiss?"

"No, he stopped us, he didn't want me to do something that would keep me from being happy with Dave."

Maya nodded, "So, he stepped back, to let you have what he thinks you want, when in reality…"

"What I want is him." It was the first time she said the words out loud, the first time she really heard herself.

"What do you plan on doing about it?"

"I don't know." It was the last thing Riley said the rest of the cab ride. Maya tried to get her to talk, but she was lost in thought.

* * *

"Maya you're going the wrong way, Dave's boat isn't in this area, this is for the yachts." Riley told her best friend, wondering just how bad her pregnancy brain was.

Maya stopped, giving her best friend a smile, "Honey, we're going the right way, trust me."

Riley's stomach sank as she followed Maya pass the boats that continued to get larger before they came to the end of a row just as a large vessel was docking. "Is this why he only spent ten dollars on my ring?"

"Yup." Maya waved to her children who were beaming after spending the day on the water.

It took a few more minutes before they were officially and safely docked. Before Riley realized what was happening Maya's children were hugging her, "Aunt Riley!" They cried as she hugged them.

"Fallon, Drew, how are my two favorite kids?"

"Daddy took us out with Uncle Dave today, and Avery came with us." Fallon twisted her dirty blonde hair around her finger, "Are you going to stay this time?"

"I still have work out of town." She lied, "But I am thrilled I got to see you two while I was in town."

"So, you're just here for what the afternoon?" Avery's tone was hard to miss as she stood next to Dave.

Riley stood up, looking at the woman, she'd always tolerated Avery, never gave her much thought, but she could tell at this moment that this woman wasn't a fan of hers. She would probably get along with Dixie if she ever had the chance to meet her. "How long I'm here for is none of your business Avery." She took a few steps forward, "Hi Dave."

"Riley" he wrapped his arms around her, spinning her around, "God I missed you."

Riley felt his lips press against hers, and she felt even less now than she had in July. "Are you going to show me the boat?" She smiled as he put her down, she couldn't do this in front of everyone, this had to be between just them.

"Yes of course," He looked to his friends, "Excuse me guys, but the future Mrs. Would like a tour, I'll catch you tomorrow at work Av."

Before Riley knew it, Dave was guiding her up onto the boat, she looked back at the dock where Charlie was on his knees begging Maya not to be mad at him.

Dave held her hand tightly as he took her to the main deck, "Okay, I know I should've talked to you first before I bought this, but I saw it, I knew this was the perfect place."

"For what?"

"Our wedding, in November."

"November?" She croaked, her eyes wide as he began to describe what he'd already arranged, "You've been meeting a wedding planner?"

"Well yeah honey, I know you're busy with work, and you can't plan the wedding, so I thought I would do it for you."

"It'll be freezing cold in November, we can't get married outside then."

"Oh, I was thinking we could go down the coast, get married down in Florida. Think of the beautiful sunsets we'd have as backdrop."

"Who's my favorite movie actor?"

Dave smiled, kissed her forehead as he moved to the bar, "Easy, Liam Hemsworth."

"What am I allergic to?" She closed her eyes already knowing what he would answer.

"Nothing babe." He opened a bottle of wine and poured two glasses.

"My favorite movie snack?"

"Corn chips of course." He handed her a glass of wine before leading her to a small table that looked out over the water. "What's with the questions?"

Riley looked at the dark red glass of wine he handed her, "What kind of wine do I like?"

"Burgundy of course. Riley what's with all the questions?"

She put the wine down without even tasting it, "You say you love me, that you want to marry me, but Dave I don't think we know each other. Chris Evans is my favorite movie actor, I'm allergic to Nickle, more importantly it's what my engagement ring is made of, and why I don't wear it. I got a rash, Lucas almost had to cut it off when my finger swelled." She pulled the ring from her pocket and put it on the table next to the wine, "My favorite movie snack is popcorn, I have to get a small otherwise I eat too much and get sick, and I _hate_ Burgundy, I'm a Moscato girl, pink to be precise."

"We know each other Riley, we just haven't been around each other enough lately." Dave insisted.

"You know what, I do know you," Riley cupped his face with her hands, "You love corn chips as a snack, you love them plain, with salsa, guacamole, melted cheese, ranch dressing, and even honey. Your favorite movie actress is Meg Ryan, because your mom made you watch every single movie she ever made growing up, you're allergic to cats, and you prefer a good microbrew to wine."

He smiled, "See we know each other." Suddenly he realized he might just be losing everything.

"You love this boat, and I'm betting that's why you spent ten dollars on my ring. And if you knew me, you would know that I really don't care how much you spent, but you lied to me, and if you knew me, you would've known that I was allergic to it."

He didn't speak.

Riley stepped away as she looked at the man she'd promised to marry, "Who is Avery's favorite movie actor? Let me guess, Liam Hemsworth, and I bet she's not allergic to anything, she loves corn chips as much as you do—or at least she pretends to, to get your attention, _she_ loves Burgundy, it's why you had it ready here on the boat. She loves this boat, and I bet right now if you closed your eyes, it's her you see walking down those steps in a white gown on a November afternoon."

Dave closed his eyes, Riley was right he didn't see her, he saw Avery.

"Exactly" Riley gave him a soft smile, "Dave, you are a nice guy, but I'm not the woman for you, I never could be."

"You're the woman for Lucas though, aren't you?"

Riley shrugged, "I don't know," she took an unsteady breath, "I think I am, I want to be."

"I hope he knows you're worth it." Dave sighed as he sat down, "Did you suspect something between me and Avery?"

"Should I have?" She sat across from him, looking at the ring, "I never worried about how much time you two spent together, and sometimes that worried me more actually. Especially once I spent some time in Texas with Lucas, I thought at first it was just me needing closure for how things ended when we were younger."

He sighed, "I suspected."

"Since when?"

"That night I arrived, Riley I saw the way you two kissed, I saw the way you looked at each other. When his sister stormed in after snooping around." Dave swirled the wine glass on the table, "Whatever she found, it was from you, wasn't it?"

"Yeah" she nodded.

"And you didn't want him to know, because if he knew, then it would change things, wouldn't it?"

"Maybe" She looked up, feeling her eyes welling with tears, "Lucas and I, we almost got married in Las Vegas during spring break one year. But he didn't show up. I found out he didn't remember, and he'd never opened the letter."

"He's an idiot." Dave smiled, "But Riley, he's an idiot that is very much in love with you. I might not know some things, but I do know that if you don't chase after him, if you don't take a leap of faith, you will forever be missing a piece of yourself."

"Thank you" Riley rose from her seat, kissing Dave on the cheek, "A word of advice, if you do find that Avery is the one, double check she's not allergic to any metals before buying the ring."

He nodded, "I'm sorry about that."

"I know you are, I'm gonna go, I have to pack, now that Smackle bought me out of the firm, I don't think New York is where I need to be at all." Suddenly she felt a weight she didn't know she was carrying lift from her.

"Good luck" Dave stood up, "Let me walk you out, if anything happened to you, well Lucas would probably kill me."

"Well to keep him from killing you, sure." Riley smiled as they got down from the yacht, "So, is Avery seeing anyone?"

"Not that I know of." Dave walked along with her, "I mean there was a guy a while ago she was telling me about. He's a lawyer, likes boating, but he was seeing someone else."

"Go to her Dave, tonight, talk to her, I think she was talking about you, without talking about you." Riley explained as they made it to the street and she hailed a cab, "Good luck, maybe I'll see you at the next reunion."

"Oh, come on, you know our best friends are married, we'll probably see each other before then, like when Grace gets christened."

"You're right, we probably will. Avery or whoever will be lucky, because they'll be the one." She slipped into the cab, not really saying goodbye as she drove away, she felt lighter, freer, like she was only moments away from everything she wanted.


	21. -the sky turns dark-

_**Author Note: So much thanks to Amy because without her, seriously I would not have figured out stuff for these last two chapters, or seriously like most of this fic. She asks the questions I totally never think about. I can't wait to hear what you think of this chapter, so please don't be afraid to let me know.**_

* * *

 **-the sky turns dark-**

She was gone.

She was probably on a plane by now.

Lucas poured another glass of whiskey, downing it as he watched the minutes ticking by on the clock on his desk.

What if she didn't come back?

What if he never saw her again?

No if she didn't come back he was going to get on a plane to New York, throw her over his shoulder and bring her back here. He would toss Dave in an ocean of corn chips if he had to. Lucas would call all cave man if he had to.

He didn't know how many drinks he had. He didn't care.

He was numb and that was all that mattered as the time ticked away. He saw the headlights of Zay's truck coming down the driveway. He staggered over to the window, watching as the truck parked and Zay and Gigi got out. He could hear their voices cutting through the late night, early morning air.

"Why are you always such a jackass to Deacon?" Gigi accused Zay as they stood outside the truck.

"I'm not." Zay shrugged, "He's a jackass to me."

"No, he isn't Zay." Gigi took a step towards Zay, "What is this really about? You've been kind of an ass about Deacon since my birthday. Are you jealous?"

Zay took a step back, "Why would I be jealous?"

"Because Deacon has what you don't; me."

"You're Lucas' little sister, you're basically my little sister." He reminded her, but he knew he was lying. He didn't know when, he didn't know how but somewhere along the line he'd stopped seeing Gigi as a sister, and saw her as a woman.

Gigi stepped towards him, backing him up against the truck, her hands on either side of him as she looked into his eyes. "Stop lying Zay."

"What is it you want from me Gigi?" He was a dead man if Lucas ever found out about this.

"This" her lips met his in a hungry kiss as his arms wrapped around her, and they reverse position, he now had her pinned against the truck.

Lucas took the final sip of the whiskey left in his glass before he went back to the chair. Riley had been right.

Riley was always, right wasn't she?

He looked at the clock again, realizing she was probably in New York by now, probably crawling into Dave's bed, touching him, making love to him.

He poured another glass, downing it all at once.

He'd been so close today, he'd been touching her, feeling her, hearing her. She wanted him.

Why did he have to be so fucking noble he threw the glass against the wall, not even a half a moment later the door opened, the hall light flooding into the dark office, and Zay's silhouette filling the space.

"What the hell man?" Zay took in Lucas in front of him, drunk, the bottle of whiskey almost empty.

"She's gone." Lucas spoke out loud, a sob bubbling up from deep inside of him.

Zay was at his side, forcing Lucas to sit up. He'd never seen Lucas this broken before. "Where did she go?"

"Home." He reached for the bottle only to have Zay snatch it away from him.

"You're cut off. You need to go sleep this off." He shook his head.

Lucas didn't budge, he just kept crying, his words stringing together, "what if she doesn't come back."

"Riley wouldn't leave us in the middle of the campaign unless it was an emergency." Zay told him as he pulled his friend up to his feet and started trying to get him to walk to the door. "She'll be back."

"But she's going to leave again." Lucas reminded Zay once they were at the stairs and he sat down.

Zay sighed, "I should let your drunk ass just sleep on the stairs."

"She was the one from Vegas." Lucas sighed between his tears.

"I know man, I know." Zay got him onto his feet again and up the stairs, just barely making it to Lucas' room.

"You knew?"

"I suspected." Zay was sure that Lucas wouldn't remember this part of the conversation or much of anything in the morning. "Sleep, and then when your sober we can talk."

"You sleep in your room and Gigi sleeps in hers!" Lucas sat up, trying to keep his arm steady as he pointed to the different rooms before falling back on the bed.

Zay nodded before going into the hall, where Gigi was coming out from the bathroom, "Lucas is, beyond drunk."

"Why, where's Riley?"

"New York, I don't know. I'll call Maya tomorrow and find out what's going on." Zay rubbed his eyes.

Gigi nodded, "I'm sorry about outside, I shouldn't have done that. You're just looking out for me, and I keep misinterpreting it."

"Deacon is a good guy." Zay admitted, "You two are good together from what I've seen."

"Thank you." Gigi went to her door, "What would make Riley leave? Do you think she was running from Lucas and her feelings, or something else?"

"If Riley was going to run from Lucas, she would've done it in July. I'm sure it was an actual emergency." At least he hoped it was, after seeing Lucas just now, Zay wasn't sure he could ever pick of the pieces of his friends broken heart if he had to.

* * *

"Zay talked to Maya" Gigi told Lucas when she brought him a cup of coffee late the next morning. "Smackle called Riley back for something, she doesn't understand the details, but Riley should be back in Texas in a few days."

Lucas didn't speak, his head hurt, his eyes hurt like they had never hurt before.

Gigi handed him some cucumber slices, "Put these on your eyes. They'll help. Zay says you were crying legitimate tears last night."

He obeyed his younger sister, closing his eyes and putting the cucumber over them.

"The way I see it, you've got two choices here Lucas. You can either stay in bed, drinking whiskey, listening to Taylor Swift, The Dixie Chicks, whatever sad music you have on your iPod, or you can sober the fuck up, and figure out how you're going to finally get the girl."

"Bed, Whiskey, silence." His voice hoarse as he spoke, not moving.

Gigi shook her head, "Whatever, I'm going to see Deacon." She watched her brother for a moment, she had never seen him like this before, and she never wanted to see him like this again. She left him alone and silent, hoping he would clear his head.

Lucas didn't say anything, he just wanted to be numb, to feel nothing, he'd been better off before Riley came back into his life.

No that was a lie and he knew it.

It had been torture so far, pretending they were together, but not being together. He couldn't do it anymore. If she came back, he knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself unless she asked him to.

He drifted in and out of sleep most of the afternoon and early evening. His dreams all of Riley, some where they made love, some where he confessed his feelings for her, others where she ran away, back to Dave, never looking back.

Just as the sun was setting he got out of bed and went into the bathroom turning the shower on. He stripped out of the clothes he'd been wearing since the day before. The clothes he'd worn when he kissed Riley goodbye and confessed to her that he remembered what happened in Vegas.

The spray of the shower hit his skin as he started crying again. He wasn't used to reacting like this, he didn't know how he was supposed to handle it.

All Lucas knew was that the next time he saw Riley he was going to throw her over his shoulder and make love to her. Even if he had to go to New York to make it happen.

Zay had said she'd be back, he wouldn't lie about this, not now at least. So, Riley would be back, and when she got back, Lucas knew what he was going to do.

It would be risky, and in the end, he would still end up heartbroken, but if she accepted the change he proposed he could at least live in the fantasy until she left. He could look back on the next couple of months with Riley and he already knew they would be the best of his life.

He turned the shower off, drying his body quickly before he pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms and went back to bed.

It might not be a perfect plan, it might sound ridiculous to most, and maybe it wouldn't work, but he had to try something, anything, didn't he?

* * *

On Monday morning when Lucas finished his house calls he stopped at Casey's before going into the office. He was sitting at the counter when the overly floral scent sat next to him.

All he wanted was coffee, maybe some hash browns now that his stomach was settling. He didn't want to deal with her of all people.

"Where's Riley, you two missed church yesterday. Have a fight and she ran back to the big city to find some other man?" Dixie gave Lucas a sympathetic look, while trying to hide her hopeful grin.

Lucas took a sip of his coffee, "She had to go back to New York to deal with a client crisis. She'll be back Dixie."

Dixie dropped her hand to his thigh, letting her red finger nails trail north, "You know if you are ever lonely at night Lucas, I could keep you company."

Lucas gently picked her hand up, he knew people were watching as he placed it on the counter, "Dixie, have I ever accepted that invitation in the last how many years? Not once. Do you know why? Because I love Riley, she's the woman I am going to be with, and if I'm not with her, I'm alone."

Dixie chewed the inside of her cheek as she studied him for a moment as she stood up from the stool, "You say that now, but when that stuck-up bitch doesn't come back because she's landed some lawyer to fuck her instead."

"That's my future wife you're talking about Dixie." Lucas' voice was louder than he expected.

Dixie went pale, "You're engaged?"

Lucas sat up and smiled as he looked around the diner, "Yeah, I proposed to Riley on Saturday, just before she got called away to deal with a client crisis."

"Congratulations Lucas!" One of the old men who hung around all day long told him.

"Thank you," He knew he was a dead man, especially if she didn't come back, but well she put this whole thing into play.

Dixie grabbed her purse and went out, no way in hell was she going to allow that New York Bitch to marry the man she'd been after all her life.

* * *

Zay watched as Lucas came into the bar, be poured a ginger ale and put in front of him. "So, I hear your engaged."

Lucas sighed, "Word travels fast."

"Well Dixie bitched to Gloria May, and well everyone heard within a half an hour." Zay looked around, "How are you going to explain this to Riley?"

"Dixie got under my skin, Riley will understand. Right?" He took a sip of the ginger ale. "She's coming, back right?"

Zay pulled out his phone and pulled up the text he had from Maya, "Per our favorite spitfire and I quote, Riley wrapped up her business with IRSM. As far as I know she plans to return to Texas. Then Maya goes into how she's currently yelling at Charlie for something he did with Dave."

Lucas felt his right knee bouncing, "So she finished with Smackle and what flies out tonight?"

"Maybe she's just getting things figured out in the city. She'll call before she flies back."

"Like wedding planning?" Lucas looked around, "You think she's taking a few days to do that kind of stuff?"

Zay sighed, "She's either up there right now planning a wedding, or she's packing up everything to move down here to be with you, I don't know man. I can never figure you two out."

Lucas didn't say anything as Zay went to help someone on the other end of the bar for a minute before he came back.

"Lucas, if you want to know when she's coming back, why don't you just call her?"

"What if she's, you know" He picked up a corn chip.

Zay nodded, "You need to tell her you love her."

"I know" Lucas sighed, "What if _this_ is what she want's?"

Zay took the chip from Lucas, "Dude, I've seen the way the two of you are together, I've seen the way she looks at you, _this_ isn't what she wants. Just don't be an ass, and find a ring for her that she's not allergic to."

"I've got one, I just hope it fits." Lucas confessed.

* * *

Lucas went out on the house calls Tuesday morning, helping Asher deliver a foal but he slipped right after and had to go home to shower and get fresh clothes.

Every time he went through the house it felt so empty without the sound of Riley moving around, doing chores, making lists, humming old Britney Spears songs to herself.

He'd told himself if she wasn't back by Friday he was going to call, and if she was staying in New York he was going to get on the first flight out.

He quickly jumped in the shower, trying to rid himself of his clumsiness from earlier when he heard the doorbell being rung repeatedly with urgency. He turned the water off, grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his body loosely as he ran down the stairs.

He swung the door open, holding his towel in place before groaning, "What are you doing here?"

Dixie pushed her way in through the door, "Riley not back yet?" she giggled, "Oh Lucas, come on, you know you're just dying to have me. If you really plan to marry Riley, take me now."

"What part of this is never going to happen do you not understand?" He rolled his eyes before he realized she was undoing the tie on her dress.

Dixie let her dress drop to the ground, revealing her white bra and panties, "Lucas you're a man, you've got needs, I'm a woman, and I can fulfill your needs."

"Get dressed Dixie, go call Dylan, I hear he fulfills your needs well enough." Lucas backed away from her. "I'm engaged to Riley, you need to leave."

Dixie picked up her dress, and moved to the door, holding it in her hand as she let her finger run down his chest, "One day Lucas, you're going to want me, and it'll be too late."

"I am never going to want you." He was exasperated, why could this woman not understand this? "Go away, and if you try this again I'm calling the Sheriff to have you arrested."

Dixie leaned in close to him, pressing her lips to his cheek, "I dare you to get me in a pair of handcuffs."

Lucas pushed her away and slammed the door.

Dixie giggled as she shimmied into her dress, not knowing that Gloria May was in the driveway snapping a picture with her phone, trying to decide if she should text it to Riley or not.

* * *

"So," Gigi sat next to her brother at the bar after putting his dinner order in front of him, "You're engaged huh?"

"How mad do you think she'll be?"

"She won't be." Gigi shrugged, "But I also heard Dixie has gone into overdrive trying to get you."

"I told her I'm calling the sheriff if she pulls another stunt like this morning." Lucas shook his head, "Imagine Riley's reaction."

Gigi stole a fry from the basket, "Dixie should be glad Riley wasn't here, or well we'd be bailing Riley out of jail."

"She's feisty, and terrifying like her mother." Lucas felt his stomach flip, "Her parents are going to kill me when this is all over."

"So, you going to give her that ring you've got stashed in your sock drawer?"

"Gigi, I don't go through your stuff. Aren't you too old for this?"

"I'll always be your annoying little sister." She stole another fry.

"With that" Lucas cleared his throat, "You and Deacon, is that getting serious?"

Gigi shrugged, "I don't know, I like spending time with him, he's good to me, I still have a few years of college left."

"And he's not a full Veterinarian yet." Lucas reminded her, "You don't have to settle down right now, you know, that, right?"

"I know, I guess, I just thought I knew what I wanted, but I'm starting to see that there is a lot more out there than I realized." Gigi looked around, "Have you called her yet?"

"Not yet." Lucas sighed, "I mean if something changed she would call right, like if she and Dave ran off and got married."

"You're an idiot." Gigi shook her head, "It would serve you right if she did up and marry him. But she would be miserable."

"Come on, they're engaged."

Gigi shook her head, "Yeah, but apparently so are you."

* * *

By Wednesday night the only thing Lucas wanted to do was go home, drink his weight in whiskey and find the courage to call Riley. Instead he had to go a meeting for the alumni association for the high school home coming in October.

He sat at the table, drinking his bottled water and chatting with the school Principal when Dixie came in, taking the seat next to him. He didn't hide it when he rolled his eyes as she tried talking to him. "Dixie, I'm sorry that you want my attention right now, but Mr. Clark and I are having a conversation."

She pouted, sitting back in her seat waiting for the others to show up.

Throughout the meeting, Lucas could tell Dixie was pouting, plotting, he could only imagine what she thought was going to happen.

"Now, we're going to have the bon fire after the pep-rally on Friday night." Mr. Clark explained as he looked around the table, "Saturday is of course the game in the afternoon, and then the dance on Saturday night, which is basically everyone in town. We are hoping to have a silent auction, and perhaps some other fundraisers that evening to fund the field trip to Washington DC for the seniors, and the spring musical."

"I'm surprised we need more fundraisers after how much Lucas went for at the auction in July." Dixie rattled her pen between her fingers.

"With the wonderful donations from the bachelor auction we're able to fund the athletic program and the fall theater production." The Principal looked to Dixie, "You're always welcome to make a donation that doesn't involve trying to get a date with Dr. Friar."

"Now Peter" Dixie leaned forward across Lucas towards the Principal, "You know I do my part."

Lucas tried to lean away but if he went any further back he would fall over and maybe flip the table top. He threw his hands up, "Do you not understand personal space Dixie? You might want me all up in yours, but I don't want you in mine."

Dixie sat up and waved her hand, "Oh Lucas, please we all know you wouldn't mind me being all up in your space."

Lucas pushed his seat back, "Actually I do mind, I'm engaged and yet it's like you don't care because you want me, but you're never getting me. Even if I wasn't engaged it will not happen. It didn't happen in high school, it didn't happen in college, it hasn't happened in all these years. I'm not into you." He looked around the room, "I'm done for the night, before I say something I'll regret."

Dixie shook her head, "Kiss being mayor goodbye."

Lucas stopped at the door and looked back, "I don't think you have the pull you think you do, and if you do, then this town needs me as mayor more than ever."

* * *

Lucas parked his truck behind the SUV, rubbing his eyes as he grabbed his keys and went into the house. He went straight to his office and pulled out the bottle of whiskey and the last glass he had. He took a long sip as his phone started to ring, his heart skipped when he saw that it was Riley. "Hey" he answered as quickly as he could.

" _Hi" Her voice was soft, "So um, since like mid-day Monday my phone has been blowing up with messages about my engagement."_

Lucas downed his drink, "I um, so I was at Casey's, trying to get something to eat before my afternoon appointments, and Dixie had found out you were out of town, and it was like open season. It just came out, and next thing I knew everyone in town heard."

 _Riley giggled, "I'm not mad, she has a way about getting under my skin, I think you've noticed."_

Lucas poured himself another drink, "Well, being engaged is not stopping her."

" _Let me guess, you slipped during a house call, came home to shower, and Dixie caught you in a towel and somehow ended up in her white bra and panties on the porch."_

He closed his eyes, "Actually yeah, how the heck did you know that? I did threaten to call the sheriff on her if she came on the property again."

" _Good to know, and Gloria May was coming to drop something off, and well she witnessed you throwing Dixie out. She thought something had happened, but I know you wouldn't do anything with Dixie, plus apparently, she later bitched that you didn't touch her."_

He could hear water splashing, "Where are you?"

" _In the greatest bathtub in the world, a nice bubble bath sounded like a good idea after I've been driving for the last three days."_

Lucas picked up his glass downing the rest as his mind immediately placed Riley in his tub upstairs as he picked up the bottle as he left the office, "Tell me about this tub."

" _It's big enough for two very tall people to stretch out in, has jets, looks out to an amazing view."_

He was halfway up the stairs when he stopped, "Sounds wonderful."

" _It would be even better if you were in it with me."_

He was outside his bedroom now, "Riley, I, when you come back, I don't know if I can continue to be noble."

" _I never asked you to be noble."_

"I know but, I can't stop myself from wanting to be with you, and I think, no I know you want to be with me." He opened the bedroom door and put the bottle down on top of his dresser before refilling his glass. "Be mine until you leave."

 _She was silent for a moment, "I will."_

"You will?" He was stunned, he hadn't expected her to say yes.

" _Yeah, where are you?"_

"In my room, getting ready to take a shower, why?"

" _Just curious what you were doing."_

"Drinking whiskey, getting naked." He chuckled hoping to tease her as well as she was teasing him.

" _Did you bring the bottle upstairs?"_

"Yeah, I did, why?" He had just his boxers on as he took a final sip from his glass.

" _I could use a drink."_

Lucas had his back to the bathroom door, "I would love to bring you a drink, if you were here." He pushed the door open before he went in, the room smelled fruity like Riley, it had the glow of candles lighting it when it should be dark. He slowly turned around towards his tub, bubbles and the most beautiful woman in the world filled it. "Riley?"


	22. -heart and soul baby-

_**Author Note: So, are you ready for Riley and Lucas to "bang it out"? Cause this chapter is steamy.**_

* * *

 **-heart and soul baby-**

She'd gotten back about an hour and a half before he was due home. She quickly unloaded her SUV, stashing her boxes in the closet and just laying her suitcases at the back of the room. Three days of driving and really, she was relieved to feel that rush of peace and serenity that flooded her when she got to the ranch. The feeling she expected to have in New York, in her parents, apartment was now here.

She shed her clothes, piled her hair on top of her head with a hairclip before wrapping her robe around her body. She grabbed her favorite strawberry bubble bath, and a few candles before she bypassed the bathroom she shared with Zay and Gigi. Lucas' large tub was calling her name, it wasn't the first time that was for sure, but usually she took advantage when he was at the office, and she was home alone.

As Riley set things, up, she ran downstairs grabbing a bottle of wine from the fridge and a glass. She opened the bottle pouring herself a glass and then putting the bottle and glass on the window ledge before she dropped the robe and sunk her body inside, seeing just then that Lucas was home. She grabbed her phone which had been playing meditative music and called him.

Her heart was racing all through the conversation, she was sure she would drop her phone in the water, especially when he grew bold and asked that she be his until she left. Didn't he get it, that's all she wanted, it was the only thing she knew right now was that she wanted to be his and for him to be hers.

She bit her lip as she watched him back into the bathroom, he had on dark blue boxer briefs and nothing else. Seeing the way, the blue fabric clung to his derriere and upper thighs, the glow of the candle light casting flickering shadows over his muscular back.

"Riley?" It was almost as if he didn't believe she was here in the same room as him.

"Hi, how about that whisky, this wine just isn't doing it for me tonight." She held up her glass, a nervous smile on her lips as he was still by the door.

Lucas looked at the bottle in his hand before he moved over to the bathtub, removing the cap, "How did you get here?"

"I drove" She handed him her wine glass, "From New York, I left Monday morning."

He accepted her glass to pour her a whisky, had he had too many that this was just a vivid fantasy. "Why didn't you just fly?"

She accepted the glass from him and took a sip, "I wanted my own car, besides I had stuff to bring back with me."

"You brought stuff back with you?" He sat on the ledge of the tub, his eyes still trying to understand what he was seeing.

"Photos, some books, things that make it look like I live here." She took another sip of her whiskey before putting the glass down, she was nervous, she had scripted this moment in her mind so many times and now, now it was real. "Soon, the schedule is going to include events here at the house, meetings, parties, dinners, it will be awkward if it looks like I'm still a guest."

He would let her redecorate the entire house if she wanted, hell if he could live in the home she saw fit for him, he would, even if he had to live in it with Zay for the rest of his life. "Do you know what I meant when I asked you to be mine until you leave?" he was sure his hands were sweating as he put the whiskey bottle down.

"I think I know, but how about you explain it while you pour me another drink." She handed him her glass again, watching him pour the refill.

Lucas took an unsteady breath, "I want to kiss you, and not hold back, I want to touch you, all over Riley, I want to feel you wither under me as you climax. I want to give into the temptation that is you, and forget about the world, life outside of Texas."

She placed the glass down next to the bottle of wine when he handed it back to her before she studied him, "That's what I thought you meant when I agreed." She leaned her body closer to the side of the tub, "So ditch the boxers and get in this tub with me."

He blinked unsure for a second as he watched her move around the tub to make room before him as he pulled his last remaining piece of clothing off.

He heard a sound come from Riley he wasn't sure what it was as she watched him. Maybe it was the three whisky's he'd had so far, or just the intoxication of being near her as he climbed into the tub, his heart was racing, and he was sure he could feel her eyes on him. He sat across from her feeling her foot drag along his leg before he took it in his hand, "So how was New York?"

She gasped when he took her foot, feeling his thumb knead right along the arch of her foot, "Claustrophobic" she sighed closing her eyes for half a second, "I got out of there as soon as I could."

"So, crisis averted?"

"It's all on Smackle now." She sighed when she felt him drop the foot he'd been working on, and work on the other. "How'd the home coming meeting go?"

"It was okay until Dixie decided I didn't need personal space, and somehow she told me that I could kiss being mayor goodbye."

Riley felt her body tense at the thought of Dixie, not because she believed Lucas would do anything with her, but she was a real thorn in her side, "Tell me you told her that you'd rather kiss being mayor goodbye then kiss her."

"Damn that's a good line, but no." He dropped her foot, "Dixie isn't someone I ever want to be with, please know that."

"I know it." Riley smiled before sipping her drink, "So, tell me Dr. Friar, how did you propose to me, what's the story so we're on the same page."

He took the glass from her and opened the bottle of wine pouring some before taking a sip, "We were on the picnic, we'd finished eating, we were watching the sunset, when I asked, and you said yes."

Riley moved closer to him, taking the glass from him, taking a sip before placing it back on the ledge. "You know, I wasn't planning on you finding me in the tub."

"You didn't huh?" he reached out, his fingertips just barely caressing her face, "what were you planning?"

She took his hand, kissing his fingers one by one as she gazed into his eyes, "You'll have to wait and find out at the right time."

Lucas watched, entranced as she guided his hand from her lips down her neck, to the valley between her breasts before she stopped, letting him decide where to go. His hand slipped behind her to the small of her back, pulling her close to him, his eyes searching hers before he kissed her.

Riley felt his lips on hers and her body released whatever tension she'd been carrying around as she snaked her arms around him, feeling her body against his. It was slow, but powerful as his hands moved over her back, down, pulling her closer as her legs wrapped around him as he sat up.

His lips moved from hers towards her neck before capturing her earlobe and gently sucking it for a moment before planting a trial of kisses down and across her chest before going back up the other side mirroring the action on the other side.

The moans of pleasure vibrated in her throat as he touched her. They were just getting started and she was already sure she could die a happy woman tonight without any regrets.

This was different Lucas realized as he pulled her body against his as close as possible without becoming one. He knew she could feel his erection against both their bodies, and he prayed she knew it was because of her, only her.

Riley broke the kiss, biting her lip as she picked up the wine glass, dipping her finger in the pink potion before bringing it to her lips sucking slowly, before dipping it in again, her lips slightly before running her fingers over his nipple before she dropped her head to gently suckle on him.

He shut his eyes, breathing in sharply. He gasped as her teeth barely grazed over him before she kissed him again.

He pulled back, staring into her eyes, she wanted him just as much as he wanted her, he was sure of it. He dipped his own finger in the wine, bringing it to her lips as he gently ran it over them, before kissing her.

Her fingers slowly moved down the definition of his muscles, she wanted to touch every part of him she could. She had time now, she didn't need to rush, as her fingers found their way to what she knew would be the source of pleasure. As she touched him she felt his body react.

Lucas let his hand slide between her legs, finding the entrance to heaven with his fingers. Hot, wet, accepting as he heard the purrs of pleasure against his ear. "Tell me what you want." He was struck by how his own voice was coated in a deep need.

"You" she gasped as his finger circled over her clit sending a wave of bliss through her.

Her reaction to his touch, his question filled him with confidence he hadn't realized until now had been missing, "Tell me what you need."

Riley closed her eyes as she felt his finger circle around before just barely entering her. "You" tried to focus on her breathing for a moment, "I need you Lucas."

He pulled away from her, watching her eyes flutter open as he gave her a smile as he sat on the ledge of the tub, thankful she hadn't placed candles around it, but instead on the vanity and window sill.

Riley watched him, not sure what he was doing as he sat on the ledge. She couldn't take her eyes off his hand and he stroked himself.

"Is this what you want?"

She nodded as her hands rested on his thighs before she pushed herself to stand in front of him. "It's what I need."

He didn't speak as he guided her onto his lap, holding her with one arm while he guided his shaft to her core.

Riley held onto him, her hands on his shoulders as he filled her. She moaned as he moved in deeper.

Lucas buried his face in the crook of her neck, his lips on her skin. How had he ever forgotten this? How had he lived without this, without her? He felt her slowly moving, not much but enough that he was sure he wouldn't be able to stop himself from joining her.

"Faster" Riley breathed as her lips kissed the side of his head, "I promise I won't break."

His hands traveled her back, his lips moving over her neck to her lips as he not only created a faster rhythm but harder.

Her nails raked over his body as she felt her body curl towards him as years of fantasies, weeks of tension, desire, wants, needs culminated.

The air was filled with sounds of pleasure as they communicated in a language all their own as they hit their peaks; Riley first, with Lucas just behind her.

She rested her forehead against his as she caught her breath, feeling her heart slowing down as her fingers twisted in the hair at the nape of his neck. "The bath got cold."

"Join me in a hot shower?"

She nodded before pulling the drain for the tub and slowly rising from his lap and climbing out of the tub.

He was right behind her, knowing he would follow her for as long as she would allow. He kissed the back of her shoulders, his hands roaming from her hips to her front. "I can't stop touching you."

She covered one of his hands with hers, guiding it down, "Good."

Lucas let his fingers explore her as he held her body pressed against his, whatever she allowed, wanted he would provide as long as she let him stay in heaven.

Riley reached forward to turn the shower on, pulling Lucas in with her as the warm water rained over them, she turned to face him, a smile on her face that felt more honest than any other she'd had in years.

He kissed her hard for a moment before pulling away, grabbing the body wash and shower poof before he began to scrub her body. They didn't speak as he covered her body in soap bubbles or when she took the scrub from him and returned the favor.

They kissed slowly, letting the water fall over them as they held each other, neither really moving.

Riley wasn't sure she could handle this if it was just a dream. She needed this to be as real as possible, Lucas was the one thing she knew for sure she wanted, needed in her life.

Lucas prayed they hadn't done anything she would regret, he would never be able to live with himself.

She began to kiss her way down his body as she slowly sank to her knees, her fingers wrapping around his shaft as she looked up to him. She watched him grab the wall as she stroked him for a minute before she ran her tongue along his length, slowly, teasing, swirling around the tip as she kept her eyes on him, the way he bit his lip, the way his eyes squeezed shut, the groans he released.

He wasn't going to last much longer, he knew as he tried to hold back the desire to dig his fingers into her hair, force her to take him as deeply as possible, swallowing everything.

She dug her fingernails into his butt cheeks as she took him as deep as possible, feeling his release at the back of her throat as she swallowed. She slowly pulled back, letting her tongue drag over him one last time before rising back to her feet.

He couldn't believe it as she stood before him, the shower raining down before he kissed her for a moment, "You didn't have to do that."

"I did it because I wanted to." She closed her eyes as he pressed her back against the shower wall.

He grinned as he pushed her thighs apart, running his fingers along her folds, dipping inside of her with short, quick, teasing moments before moving to circle around her clit before repeating the pattern, listening as her breathing became ragged as she climaxed.

They held each other, the only sound their own breathing and the water raining down on them.

Lucas turned the water off, still holding Riley against him before he grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her body, and grabbing one for himself.

Riley moved to blow out the candles, grabbing the bottles of wine and whiskey before placing them on the vanity counter, before grabbing the glass they left by the bathtub, bringing it with her as she went to the bedroom.

She was nervous now, what happened, would he her to her room, or invite her to his bed?

Lucas watched her, seeing a shift. Had whatever spell they'd been under been broken? Was that it? Would she run and never allow him into heaven again?

"Should I go to my room?" She finally looked up to him, "Or do you want me to stay?"

"Stay" she'd barely finished when he gave her his answer, "Stay, I sleep better when you're next to me, just promise you won't run off before I wake up."

"I promise" she felt his hand wrap around hers as he led her to the bed.

 _I love you_ was on the tip of Lucas' tongue, it was threatening to scream from him, but he couldn't tell her. She might have agreed to be his until she left, but she would still leave. They might have just made love, but she was still engaged to Dave.

Riley watched as he sat on the bed, holding her in front of him, her fingers in her damp hair. "I should get my pajamas."

"Or you could just sleep naked next to me." He pulled her onto the bed, "Or try and sleep with the towel around you."

Riley giggled as he moved over her, "Hmm, me naked and you what in your pajamas?"

"If your naked, I'm naked." His fingers caressed her cheek, he watched as she leaned into his touch. It was August now, soon it would be September, then October, and finally November when he'd have to say goodbye to her.

"Deal" she smiled as she opened her towel.

Lucas pulled his off as he started kissing his way down her body.

"Lucas, what are you doing?" but she knew exactly what he intended to do as his lips pressed against her thighs, and his face buried between her legs. His tongue sliding between her folds, swirling, thrusting, as she felt her entire body swell with pleasure.

He knew on instinct she was close as her body curled to him, her thighs squeezing tight against him.

Riley closed her eyes, she tried to hold back her cries of pleasure, but that just drove her closer to the edge as everything exploded around her.

Lucas rested his head on her stomach, looking up to her, the blissful look on her face.

"You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to." He sat up, pulling her next to him as he laid back against the pillows.

"A girl could get used to that." She released a sleepy sigh as she rests her head on his shoulder.

He was counting on it, he had her now, and he realized it would be even harder to let her go back to New York, to Dave. He held her close as they fell asleep, hoping this hadn't all been a vivid whisky fantasy.


	23. -beat the odds-

_**Author Note: Eek, so sorry this update took so darn long, life has been crazy this past week. Thanks to everyone who was checking in for updates. I did post a couple of new chapters of my original piece Perfect Imperfections, you can find it on tumblr or on fictionpress if you want to check that out.  
Song used in this chapter is Every Single Night by Computer Games.**_

* * *

 **-beat the odds-**

Soft lips moved along his neck as Lucas woke up, feeling fingers gliding down his body. He was confused for a moment as he woke up a bit more before realizing it hadn't been a dream. Riley was in bed with him, they were both naked from the night before.

"Ri" He breathed as he felt her fingers wrapping around his cock.

"Mmm, you're up" she kissed a path to his jaw until she took his lips with hers.

He kissed her back, shocked to be woken up this way. She was full of surprises, and a part of him hoped that he could spend the rest of his life finding out all of them, that she would realize this was where she was meant to be.

Riley felt his arms wrap around her as she stroked him, "You like that?" her voice quiet against his ear.

"I do" He could get used to waking up with her in his bed, especially if this was going to happen.

Riley moved her lips to his ear, taking his earlobe between her lips for a moment before speaking, "Fuck me Lucas."

He moved so he was over her, spreading her legs, his fingers running between her folds finding her hot and wet as he looked down at her wiggling against his touch. His free hand ran over her hips, her stomach to her breast, squeezing it as his thumb ran over her nipple.

She moaned loudly, which encouraged Lucas as he brought his other hand to her breast, mirroring what he was already doing. He leaned over her, kissing her shoulders before running his tongue over one breast and then the other before taking her hard nipple between his lips.

Her eyes fluttered shut as her fingers combed his hair, tugging just a little bit before she felt his mouth release her, before taking her other nipple.

His mouth moved up her neck again, hovering over her lips, "Say it again Riley."

"Fuck me Lucas." Her eyes dark, heavy with lust as her legs wrapped around his hips and pulled him closer to her, "Hard."

He was shocked he hadn't climaxed right then and there as she talked dirty to him. He entered slowly, watching the way her body reacted to him, the way he was teasing her. "Are you sure you want it hard?"

"Yes" She pleaded with him.

He smirked as his hands moved to her shoulders and he slowly began pulling out before stopping and thrusting in forcefully.

She was biting her lower lip, the anticipation he was creating inside of her was more than she could've ever hoped for.

He moved slowly for a moment, listening to her whimper before he gave her what she asked for. Her body curled into him, as she gasped with each thrust before after a couple of minutes called out his name loudly.

"Oh fuck" Lucas groaned as he climaxed, crashing his body on top of hers, their breathing ragged but as in sync as a couple possibly be.

Riley giggled once she caught her breath, "We were kind of loud just now."

"Shit, what time is it?" Lucas looked towards the clock on his nightstand, squeezing his eyes shut, "crap."

"They're home, aren't they?" She sighed holding on to Lucas, not ready for the weight of his body to leave her yet.

He nodded, "At least they should be."

"I guess" she kissed his cheek, "we'll just have to work on being a bit quieter."

"You haven't had your fill of me yet?" He held his breath.

"Not at all, I want as much of you, as often as possible." She nuzzled his neck as she tried to hide the yawn bubbling inside of her.

Lucas understood— _or at least he thought he did_ —that she wanted to get as much of him as she could before she returned to marry Dave. He held her close as he moved to lay on his side, closing his eyes, dreaming that this, him and Riley didn't have an expiration date in November.

* * *

Zay stood in the bathroom, his toothbrush in his hand and he slowly turned around towards Lucas' room just as Gigi came to the door looking confused.

"Um, is he alone?" Gigi grabbed her toothbrush and started applying toothpaste.

Zay picked up the purple toothbrush that belonged to Riley and waved it, "I don't think he is."

"No way" she asked while she started to brush her teeth.

"Maya texted earlier that Riley should be here if not tonight then tomorrow. She was driving back from New York."

Gigi paused to spit, "driving?"

"I bet that's her SUV out front." He rinsed his toothbrush and put it back.

"So, are they like together now?"

"Sounds like it." Zay shrugged as he went to the door, "But with these two who really knows."

* * *

She was gone when Lucas woke up in the morning. He looked around the room, his head throbbing from the whiskey. Had it all been a dream? He got ready for the day, seeing her bubble bath sitting on the counter by the sink, it was real, then where had she gone to? Did she regret what had happened between them?

He's ruined it, hadn't he?

He gave in, she gave in, and now she regretted it.

He finished tying his boots and went downstairs, the smell of bacon and potatoes filling the air. As he got to the bottom of the stairs he could hear Riley singing something, he wasn't sure he recognized it.

" _Live it up every single night, help me live it up every single night."_ She was dancing around, she was wearing a pair of jeans, no socks or shoes, and a basic white t-shirt.

"Morning." He took a deep breath as he moved to pour himself a cup of coffee just as she set some plates down on the table.

"I made breakfast, I maybe went a little overboard." She explained as she sat down, turning the song off on her phone.

Lucas sat down with his coffee, trying to figure out what to say, "Last night really happened right?"

"Yeah" Her fingers traced over his hand, "You came home and found me taking a bubble bath in your tub."

"You don't regret what happened, do you?" He was sure he wouldn't breathe until she answered.

"Not at all," She took his hand in hers. She inhaled sharply, "Do you regret last night?"

"No, only that I had so much whiskey before I found you." He knew that was an image that would forever be burned in his mind.

"Good, so um, tonight I think we should sit down and discuss everything we can. You know with this engagement and such. People will have questions, people will expect a wedding date to be set." She pulled her hand away, "And there is other stuff we need to talk about."

Couldn't he have a minute, just a moment where he could pretend they didn't have an expiration date? "Are you going into town today?"

"Yeah, I have a few things to do, why?" She looked up from her food, trying to read him but something was off, part of her wondered if he did regret last night.

"Give me a minute." Lucas left the table returning to his bedroom, he opened his sock drawer and took out the box before going back to the kitchen, "I promise this is Nickle free. No one would believe this if you weren't wearing this."

Riley was silent as he sat back down and opened the box. She could feel her lips trembling as she watched him. "Lucas, what is this?"

"Exactly what it looks like." He told her as he pulled the ring out picking up her left hand slipping it on her finger, releasing his breath when he realized it fit her perfectly.

"Where did this come from?" She knew the answer, she knew it was from Harrisons, she'd seen one just like it when she was in the store with him, and the few times Gloria May had dragged her in to drool over a pair of earrings.

Lucas suddenly realized he couldn't tell her, "I um, picked it up the other day."

Riley nodded, "Thank you, it's beautiful."

"I have to go, we'll talk tonight." Lucas got up, snapping the box closed. "Have a good day Riley."

"I'll try." She watched him leave as she sat at the table, looking down at the ring on her finger exactly what she would pick for herself, exactly the right fit, she had a real ring and a fake fiancé, when she had a real fiancé she had a fake ring. She would tell Lucas tonight, she'd explain what happened in New York, then maybe this would all finally be real.

* * *

Lucas parked the truck outside of his first house call, he couldn't believe he'd given her the ring. He couldn't believe that it was currently on her finger.

He rubbed his eyes, why hadn't he gone and bought another ring? Because, he wanted her to wear that one. If he was going to slip a ring on her finger, it was always going to be that one.

He gathered his medical bag, already dreading the conversation with Riley when he got home. He was sure she would come up with rules for whatever was going to happen over the next few months.

After last night, he couldn't imagine her marrying anyone else, he couldn't imagine her wanting to. The thought of Dave touching her, made him sick, no way could he touch her the way Lucas had, no way could he please her, this couldn't be one-sided, could it?

He spent the rest of the morning getting lost in his work, thankful for the distraction. When he got to the office he walked Deacon through some training before he retreated to his office. Where he found Zay sitting on the couch, "Hey, what's up?"

"So," Zay studied his oldest and dearest friend, "You and Riley, around three this morning?"

Lucas cringed, "You heard?"

"Yea, and so did Gigi."

"I don't know what to say, other than if it happens again, we'll try to keep it down." Lucas sank into his desk chair.

"What do you mean if? What is going on?" Zay had only gotten bits and pieces of information from Maya, he knew she wasn't telling him everything.

Lucas closed his eyes, "I asked Riley to be mine, while she's here. She said yes."

"What does that even mean Lucas? You guys what have sex, until she leaves in November?" Zay could only see a path to heartbreak.

Lucas looked down at his hands, "I love her Zay, can I live without her? Technically yes, but life without her sucks. And maybe it's going to hurt me more to have her leave after this time together, but damn it if I get this time with her, I'll take what God gives me. Dave doesn't deserve her, you and I both know that."

"Do you deserve her?"

He was silent for several moments, "I'm not perfect, I've messed up, but I know that no one else will ever love her the way that I do."

"You're okay being the other man?"

"If being the other man is the only way I can be with Riley, then I'll take it. I'm going to take whatever I can get from her. If last night was the only night I get to make love to her, so be it, I hope to God it's not."

"You two just need to talk, figure out what is and isn't allowed. Maybe slip up, tell her you love her."

"I can't tell her Zay, once I put that out there to her, I can't take it back."

Zay got up from the couch, "That's the point, to not take it back. Do you really want her to think you don't love her? That this is just about sex?"

"It's complicated Zay, all I can do right now is show her how good it can be between us. I need her to see that I'm the man for her, and that I want her to be my wife, that I wouldn't stand her up."

"Good luck man, you're going to need it." Zay walked out, leaving Lucas alone, and unable to focus on anything but what Riley could possibly say to him.

* * *

"This one is for the next book club meeting; FYI Riley I expect you to bring those amazing lemon bars again." Gloria May started piling books into her arms, "And this is to help you plan the wedding, I bet you two haven't set a date, but it's never too early to get started planning. Oh, and this I wish I had this when I was married."

Riley looked at the book on top, " _How to Be a Good Southern Wife_ , Gloria May you cannot be serious?"

"Riley, just read it, you might think its garbage, and anti-feminist, but at least read it." Gloria May stopped in front of the biographies and turned to her friend, "At the very least, buying it people will think you're attempting to fit in. Not that you're not, but you know, you are from New York."

"I mean I'll be the wife Lucas wants, he did propose." Riley could feel the knots in her stomach, what if she'd made a mistake, could she tell him that she wasn't with Dave now, that she wanted this to be real?

"You know, once I realized how in love Lucas was with you, back in high school, I knew no other woman was going to win his heart." Gloria May picked up a biography scrunched her nose and then put it back.

"Wait, what do you mean, I thought you and Lucas dated in high school." Riley grabbed a cookbook and read the back.

Gloria May chuckled, "We went camping once, right after he turned eighteen," she picked up another book, "We kissed, and then he called me by your name. So, the rest of the night he told me about how wonderful you are. God Riley, you were like a mythical Goddess the way he spoke of you. I knew that night, none of us stood a chance. I tried telling Dixie, but girl she had this laser focus on him. Still does, I'm like move on, Dylan is crazy about you, but she won't."

"Wait, Lucas told you about me?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you hung the moon from the way he spoke." Gloria May shrugged as she grabbed a few books and made her way to the register. "I'm glad you finally got that ring."

"What do you mean?"

Gloria May shrugged, "As soon as I heard you were here, I knew Lucas was going to propose."

"I wasn't so sure about that." Riley put her books on the counter.

"So, when's the wedding?"

"We haven't picked a date yet, we um, didn't really talk about our plans last night." Riley smiled, remembering his touch.

"Oh God, he's that good, right?"

Riley nodded, leaning closer, "Better than any other man could hope to be."

"Do you realize how lucky you are?"

"Yeah, I do." Riley smiled, trying to ignore the knot in her stomach.

* * *

Riley blew out the candles she'd set up on the table, putting the plate she'd made for Lucas in the fridge before replying to his text message about being late due to an emergency.

She finished cleaning up, before going up to her room. She got ready for bed, pulled out her laptop and realized she didn't really have any work to do.

Anything for Lucas' campaign for the time being was done. In a few weeks things would really pick up, but for now, it was just trying to stay scandal free.

She twisted the ring around her finger while she went through the rest of her emails, nothing important, other than one from her financial advisor saying she should consider investing at least some of the money in a new business to cut back on the taxes she would have to pay.

She was out of politics for now. She'd never had a passion for it. She kind of just fell into it. She'd gone to college and graduated, still unsure of what she wanted to do with her life. Here she was now, over a decade later still unsure, and faced with endless possibilities if she really thought about it.

That wasn't completely true, she thought as she looked down at the ring on her finger. How she wished the engagement was real.

She closed her computer and put it away, grabbing her water glass and going down to the kitchen, entering just as she heard the microwave beep. She didn't speak as she went to get ice.

"Thank you" Lucas didn't look at her, he wasn't ready to have his heart trampled on.

"You're welcome." She filled her glass with water at the sink, but didn't move as she watched him standing at the counter eating.

"So," He finally spoke as he rinsed his plate in the sink before putting it in the dishwasher, "I guess we need to talk, don't we?"

Riley nodded, "Yeah we do."

"So, how was New York, give me the highlights?" He was afraid to move, afraid to be close to her, afraid she would reject him.

"Business stuff that I don't want to talk about right now." She looked down at the ring on her finger, surprised at how good it felt to wear.

"And what about things with Dave?" He tried to choke down the pain, the visions of Riley being pleasured by another man.

"He bought a yacht, was planning the wedding for November." She looked back up to Lucas, seeing him biting his lip, trying to keep his face like stone.

"That's where his money went?" Lucas shook his head as he picked up her hand, "I promise this is real."

"It's beautiful Lucas." She could feel her fingers shake before he brought her finger to his lips.

"I don't want to talk about New York, or Dave again." He confessed as he looked in her eyes.

A small smile crossed her lips, "Good, it's the past, and what matters is I'm yours Lucas."

"As long as this ring is on your finger you're mine." He let his hands drop to her waist.

"Good thing the ring is a perfect fit." Her fingers moved to undo the buttons on his shirt.

Lucas lifted her up, sitting her on the kitchen island, so many things he wanted to say, words on the tip of his tongue. But they could only be spoken as his fingertips caressed her skin. He knew the minute they were spoken out loud everything would change, and right now he couldn't risk it, not when she was in front of him, her eyes tracing over his lips hungrily.

She kissed him, needing to taste his lips again, hoping to God he understood what she meant when she spoke. Her hands moving up his body into his hair as her legs wrapped around him, pulling him closer to her.

He kissed her neck, his hands moving to her hips.

"I need you" she inhaled, "everything Lucas."

He pulled her shorts down, allowing them to fall to the floor when he stood back, unzipping his jeans and pushing them, along with his boxer-briefs down, "I need you." He replied as he pulled her to the edge of the island.

Her hands moved under his t-shirt, feeling his abs under her thumbs. She pulled one hand away, to grab his and guided it between her legs.

Lucas smiled as he felt her desperate need for his touch as his fingers teased her. He could spend all night doing just this if it was what she wanted.

Riley whimpered feeling the electric pulse of pleasure.

"I need to be inside of you" He confessed to her, feeling his hard shaft pressing against her leg.

She kissed him, hard and urgently for a moment before pulling back resting her forehead against his, "Don't ask permission, just take me, _I'm yours_."

He knew she was lost in the moment, but he needed her, needed this as he entered her, deep and fast, feeling her clinging to him.

She kissed his neck, as the pace between them picked up, racing to a finish line of pleasure and relief. She bit down on his shoulder to keep from screaming out.

He'd been close until he felt her bite down on him at that he lost any sense of control he had left as he thrust into her fast and hard before holding her against him.

"Don't pull away" she pleaded as she caught her breath, she wanted to stay as connected to him as long as she could.

He kissed her neck as he tried to calm his breathing, his eyes closed, "We didn't use a condom."

"I know" she brought her lips to his, "I have a copy of your most recent physical in my room, you're clean, I'm clean, and I'm on birth control. We're okay, no need to worry."

Lucas ran his hands over her hair, he wasn't worried, he would gladly father as many children as Riley wanted with him, "Come to bed with me, please. Just lay next to me tonight."

"Whatever you want." She sighed as he pulled away before she slipped down from the island, "We can never tell Zay and Gigi we did that."

Lucas pulled his pants back up before picking up her shorts, "He would say something like, _Unsanitary, we eat in here, what the hell man?_ "

Riley giggled, "So very true, but it was good." She grabbed her shorts from him and pulled them on.

Lucas lifted her up, draping her body over his shoulder, holding her tightly as he carried her out of the kitchen.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking you to bed, my bed."

She felt her heart skip, when he said that. She closed her eyes as he moved up the stairs and quickly to his room before he gently dropped her to the bed. "Do you want me in your bed every night?"

Lucas could feel her watching him, "I do, every single night until you leave me. Every night that you are here in Texas, even when you're mad at me, I want you next to me."

Riley bit down on the nail of her left index finger as she watched him, "That's what you get from here on out."

"There's room in the closet and dresser for your clothes." He told her as he pulled his t-shirt off. "I bet plenty of room in the bathroom for your stuff."

Her finger traced over the ring she wore, "Are you asking me to move into your room Lucas?"

Lucas kneeled in front of her, "Kind of, yes."

She ran her hands over his arms to his shoulders before moving down his back, "Yes, I'll move into your room."

He knew time was limited, but he could forget about the expiration date for now, he could enjoy her, them, and maybe, just maybe she could see what they could really be. He kissed her, feeling his body lean into her as he rose to his feet while also laying her on the bed beneath him. He could feel her fingers gliding down his abs before stopping and the waistband of his pants and undoing them.

She could feel his smile in the kiss as she pushed his pants down with his boxer briefs as she felt his hand slip under her t-shirt to her breast. She felt the purr of pleasure in her throat as his hand kneaded her as she felt his other hand pulling her shorts down.

Lucas was shocked when he felt Riley roll him onto his back as she stood up, pulling his pants and boxer-briefs off all the way, a smirk on her lips as she pulled her t-shirt off before pushing her shorts down the rest of the way and kicking them off.

She laid on the bed next to him, her fingernails running up his body, watching the way his breathing changed with each touch and tease. Her lips made trail from his shoulder to his neck.

He moaned as her lips mapped their way to his as he pulled her on top of him. His hands moving down her body between her legs, feeling the heat of her need for him, watching the way her body jolted at his touch as she squirmed against him.

"Tell me what you want." She breathed feeling his fingers inside of her.

He sat up, holding her on his lap. "You, Riley, I want you." A pleading tone before he kissed her, pulling her closer.

She kissed him along his jawline, "I'm yours Lucas, I'm yours" she reached down to guide him inside of her.

He closed his eyes as they moved slowly, his fingers in her hair as their mouths connected in a kiss.

The pace picked up, he knew he couldn't hold back as he climaxed, holding her hips to keep her down as her body rippled with her own pleasure.

Feather light kisses were exchanged as neither moved for a long time, before they laid down, still holding on to each other.

Lucas kissed the top of her head, hearing her soft snore as she nuzzled closer to him. "I love you Riley, I wish this was real, I wish you knew that ring was always meant for you." He chuckled softly, "I wish I could propose to you, and you'd say yes, and we'd get married, kick Zay and Gigi out, fill their rooms with some kids. It would be perfect, wouldn't it?"

A happy sigh escaped from Riley's lips as she snuggled closer to him as she slipped into a deeper sleep.

He lifted her left hand, studying the ring on her finger, "Perfect fit, for the perfect woman." He brought her hand to his lips, kissing her finger before resting her hand over his heart, closing his own eyes and drifting to sleep.


	24. -coming home to stay-

_**Author Note: See much faster this time with this chapter. Might've happened quicker but the nephew decided to have my 2 most feared things happen when I was alone watching him happen. First the little guy got sick and had to miss school, and then his feeding tube button fell out, which you guys sent me into such a frenzy of anxiety you can't even imagine since I've never replaced it myself, and only watched it get replaced once before. So instead of writing last night I binged some episodes of ER and The White Queen. Okay enough of my ramblings, you guys are amazing. I know I got a request for a certain sexy times act, but it didn't feel right for this chapter, but trust me it'll happen gang. ;)**_

* * *

 **-coming home to stay-**

 _Riley gently rocked the baby in her arms as she sat in the rocking chair looking out the window with a view of the ranch. "It's okay sweet baby, Daddy will be home soon." She kissed the top of the child's head._

 _She closed her eyes as she gently sang a lullaby, lost in the moment before she heard the creak of the floor, and the gentle footsteps coming towards them._

" _Hey Hollis, come to Daddy." He took the baby in his arms as a smile crossed his lips, "Were you good for Mommy today? Or did you run her ragged?"_

" _Ragged" Riley sighed with a smile watching as he walked with the baby._

" _You gotta let Mommy sleep, okay sweet baby." He smiled at the child, before looking to Riley as he placed the infant in the crib. "Come on you need to sleep."_

 _She reached out for his hand, but it was too far away no matter how far she stretched her arm. She was so close but still so far away._

Her eyes opened and she felt the darkness of the room wrapping around her as she heard Lucas breathing next to her.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she let her fingers caress his face, a smile forming on her own. "God, I love you, I want to fill this house with our babies, when we're ready." She whispered, "We're not yet, but we will be, we have to be."

Lucas pulled her closer to him, nuzzling her neck while he continued to sleep.

She released a satisfied sigh as she held onto him before drifting to sleep again.

* * *

Lucas had left for house calls while Riley was in the shower. When she got dressed she looked around her room trying to decide where to start.

"Riley, what are you doing?" Gigi was at the door pulling her hair into a ponytail.

"Just trying to decide where to start. I'm going to move my stuff into Lucas' room."

Gigi took a step into the room, she was about to say something when she saw the ring on Riley's finger, "Lucas gave you that?"

Riley looked down, "Yeah real ring, fake fiancé, real fiancé, fake ring." She shrugged.

"So, you're having sex with my brother—yes Zay and I heard you guys, but your still engaged to Dave?" Gigi was sure she was going to be sick to her stomach.

"Gigi, come on now. I'm not with Dave, I told Lucas I was done with that."

"You're really not with Dave?"

Riley nodded, "Yeah, when I went back to New York, after I finished up the business stuff, I went and saw Dave. It was amicable, I think he's always loved someone else."

"Sit down" Gigi told Riley as she looked at the older woman as she sat on the bed, "I'm Lucas' only sister, and as his only sister, I am asking you to please not hurt him."

"Gigi, I have no intention of hurting Lucas. I want this" she waved her left hand in a circular fashion, "to be real. To be it."

"Talk to Lucas and make it real." Gigi sighed before leaving the room, wondering how long they were going to dance around the obvious.

"I told your brother that I'm his, he knows." Riley called out as he left, she was sure he understood, he had to. She wouldn't have given herself to him if she felt any other way.

* * *

"So, Doc, when's the wedding?" One of the older men who could always be found at the counter of Casey's asked a moment after Lucas sat down to order lunch.

Lucas looked up from the menu, "Oh we haven't picked an actual date just yet. We're still discussing it."

"Don't let her get away. She looks at you the way a wife should look at a husband."

Lucas chucked, "And how is that Earl?"

"Like you hung the moon, but drove her crazy doing it by not listening to the instructions." Earl smiled, "Besides, you and your gal Riley will have beautiful little babies."

"You think?" He'd been trying not to get lost in what could be, self-preservation and all, but he knew Earl was right.

"I know so." Earl took a sip of his coffee. "Shit, incoming."

The diner door opened, a gust of wind with it carrying the dead flower petals of the plotted plants along the street swirled at Dixie's feet as she came in.

Lucas sighed, he was going to have to figure out a different lunch routine if it meant being able to avoid the wicked witch of Rosewood Springs.

Dixie took slow calculated steps towards the counter, to the empty seat besides Lucas. Earl shook his head as he sipped his coffee and looked away.

"So, she came back huh?" Dixie's voice dripped with disdain.

"I told you she would." Lucas tapped the laminated menu against the counter top.

Dixie turned the coffee cup in front of her over and looked to Lucas, something about the way his jaw twitched when she was around always gave her some sliver of hope. "I'm surprised some big city lawyer didn't swoop her up while she was there. I'm sure she's just the perfect kind of New York wife. You know the kind who don't cook, the kind that don't bake, they probably have takeout menu's memorized, and hire caterers for big moments."

Lucas ignored the knot in his stomach, why was Dixie so sure it was a lawyer? "Riley is a wonderful cook, and even better baker." He finally turned to look to Dixie, "In fact I'm pretty sure she'll win the bake-off next weekend. Riley will be the perfect Texas wife."

Dixie leaned in closer to him, breathing in his woodsy scent, "Would she receive you with a glass of whiskey and a blow job, because I would."

"Who says she hasn't already." He pulled away from her and got up without ordering anything, "Earl, I'll see you around."

"See you later Doc." Earl shook his head as he watched the younger man leave before he looked to Dixie, "How's Dylan?"

Dixie rolled her eyes at the old man, "Earl mind your own business."

"You know Ms. Carmichael, it might be time for you to wake up and smell the coffee." He watched as the waitress refilled his cup, "That man is head over heels in love with his fiancé, more than he might even know. Meanwhile he can't stand you. He recoils when you touch him, he's tense, and no sugar it's not because of a long held back lust. It's called disgust."

"Oh, please Earl what do you even know?"

"I know he gave her the ring he's been holding onto since high school." He had a satisfied smile on his face as he looked away from Dixie, not knowing that the wheels in her head were already turning with a new plot.

* * *

Riley had quickly gotten her clothes moved into Lucas' room. It was true his closet had mostly been empty, but now it was filled with just a little space left of her clothes. Though as she took an inventory of them, she wondered if she really needed all these suits, all the cocktail dresses, even the few formal dresses she had.

She took out a few photographs she'd had hanging in her old bedroom and filled in some of the blank spaces on his walls, that to her had been screaming for something. This could go one of two ways, he could either be thrilled she made herself at home, or he could be furious.

Either way she'd make sure that by the end of the night he didn't care.

She was setting up her stuff in the bathroom when her phone rang, she would've ignored it if it was anyone else, "Hey Maya."

" _Okay, so you're in Texas, tell me what's happened?"_

Riley giggled, "Oh you don't want the details."

" _Yes, I do, I've been married for like forever, I'm knocked up for the third time, come on give me the details."_

"Maya, let me just say that I am very satisfied." Riley shook her head as she unloaded her collection of bubble baths.

" _He's that good?"_

"He's the best, he just knows exactly how to touch me, he doesn't get weirded out if I say something barely dirty. Dave couldn't handle if I said fuck me harder, or spank me."

" _Riley Matthews! You do not enjoy that!"_

"You don't know what I like in bed." Riley rolled her eyes, "But you get the idea. Maya, we did it in the kitchen last night, it was spontaneous, it was fast, a little rough, but something else, something deeper."

" _I believe we call that love."_

"Yeah, I guess we do."

" _So, no more trouble from that crazy chick?"_

"Oh Dixie?" Riley sighed as she opened a drawer loading it up with her lotions and cleansers, "Not since I got back, but Lucas has apparently told her to back off several times this week, that's how this fake engagement thing came about."

" _Fake engagement? Riley, why is it fake? Tell me you're not wearing another ring your allergic to."_

Riley laughed, "Here's the kicker Maya, I was really engaged to Dave and had a fake ring, but I'm fake engaged to Lucas and it's a real ring. It's beautiful Maya, platinum, a solitaire diamond I'd guess a carat, so it's not too big, it's just right. It's exactly what I would've picked for myself if given the chance."

" _Why isn't it a real engagement?"_

"Maya, I just got back, we just got together, I just ended things with Dave. I don't want to ruin this by moving too fast."

" _Honey, I love you, you know that, but I hope you know what you're doing."_

"I know that right now I'm moving my stuff into his bedroom." Riley looked towards the tub, "I came home to Lucas, and he accepted me with open arms. I don't know if there is anything that could pull me away from willingly."

" _Just don't lose yourself in this."_

"I'll try not to." Riley moved into the bedroom, "Have you talked to Farkle or Smackle yet?"

" _We're playing phone-tag. Farkle left me a message the other day, but it wasn't really informative."_

"I'm still not sure how I feel about all of that."

" _Well look at it this way, you're no longer tied to New York and being forced to travel to deal with clients. You can be in Texas if that's what you really want, and I think as much as I hate it, that's where you want to be. You want to be with Lucas, and this opens you up for that." Maya paused for a moment, "Have you told him about the money yet?"_

"No, I'm still wrapping my head around it actually." Riley sat on the bed, "I have to find a business to buy, or invest in, or something like that according to my financial investor, they're looking for stuff here in Texas. I just, I'm overwhelmed by that still. I feel confident about me and Lucas, it's outside of that where I feel shaky. I barely knew what I wanted to do when we were in college, if Uncle Eric hadn't been a Senator, who knows what I would be doing."

 _Maya chuckled, "Probably running a bakery."_

Riley blinked, "A bakery" she hadn't thought of that, "Speaking of bakeries, I need to email my Mom, I need a recipe for the bake-off next weekend."

" _A bake-off? Damn you're getting all small town on me, aren't you?"_

"I think I'm just allowing part of who I've always been to finally break free. Besides if I can win this bake-off, or at least place higher than that bitch Dixie, it will be a nice, sweet, personal victory."

" _And maybe Lucas will see you are wife material and make this engagement real."_

Riley was silent, a fear nagging at her, what if Lucas didn't see her as wife material. "That's not something Lucas would think." Where was that book Gloria May had insisted, she get, maybe she did need to prove to Lucas she could be a perfect Southern wife, maybe he needed to see just how serious she was about their future together, and the life they would lead.

" _Whatever you say Riles, I gotta go, Fallon just grabbed some scissors and she's always trying to play beauty parlor with Drew, FALLON GARDNER COME BACK HERE!"_

"Bye Maya we'll talk later." Riley slipped her phone in her pocket as she moved down the hall to the guestroom, grabbing her laptop and the books she'd bought. She studied the one Gloria May had insisted on, it couldn't hurt to at least skim it, right?

* * *

Lucas leaned back in his desk chair, rubbing his eyes as he went over the last bit of paperwork for the day. The intercom on his desk buzzed, "What's up?"

"Riley is here for your 5:30 meeting."

Lucas looked at the intercom confused, "What meeting?"

"I just know she's on the calendar, we're leaving for the night Dr. Friar, have a good evening."

Why was she on the calendar for a meeting, when was she added to the calendar?

The office door opened, she came in wearing one of her scandalously short skirts and a tight button-up top, the highest heels she could balance on, "Are you ready for me Dr. Friar?"

Lucas studied the vision before him, her hair free, looking windblown but casual, her makeup dramatic but still sexy, "What was this meeting about?"

Riley closed his office door and locked it. "Oh well, I was at the ranch, moving my stuff into your room, thinking about you. Thinking about the way you're tongue hung out like a cartoon wolf when I first arrived."

He sat up, watching as she slowly walked around the desk, "I wanted to take you right then and there."

She smiled as she leaned against his desk., "I wish you could've."

Lucas let his hands drop to her exposed thighs. "But you're all mine now, right?"

"I am" she took one of his hands moving it between her legs, "I realized I could either use my vibrator to release some desire until you got home, or I could come into town and let you touch me."

She would be the death of him. "You came here to seduce me?"

Riley ran a finger up his chest before blooping him on the nose, "No, I came here so you could feel exactly what it is you do to me physically when you just cross my mind."

Lucas felt his hand shake as it moved higher between her legs, discovering the hot, wet, tangible evidence of her desire as his finger ran between her folds. "This is just from thinking about me?"

Riley nodded as she bit her lower lip, shifting her hips to encourage his touch.

"And no panties huh?"

"They would be sopping wet." She confessed, "Like most of mine have been since I first got to Texas."

He couldn't help but grin, "Kind of like how I've been hard as a rock since then."

"Yeah, but we don't have to worry about that now, do we?" She let a shoe drop from her foot as she rested it on his leg, letting it slide up his leg until she found what she was looking for, "Like right now, you're hard."

Lucas closed his eyes for a moment, "How could I not be, I have a Goddess in front of me."

"And here I thought I was the one with a Greek-like God in front of me." She reached forward to unbutton his shirt, feeling his hard chest under her finger tips "Tell me what you want to do to me."

What didn't he want to do? That would be easier to answer, "First" he breathed as he rolled the chair as close to the desk as possible, "is this."

Riley threw her head back just a little as she felt his finger inside of her, "I like that."

With his other hand, he pulled her head down to kiss her, hard and fast, "I love feeling you like this." He confessed in a growl against her throat. "The only thing better is when I've filled you before playing here."

Her body was electrified, her breathing already heavy, "Fill me Lucas, play with me, please."

He kissed her neck, as he took both hands to her blouse, hearing her whimper before he pulled it open the buttons flying across the office as his hands moved to caress her lace clad breasts, "How could I have lived without this?" he wondered out loud before taking one lace covered nipple between his lips.

Riley gasped as one hand held onto the desk, the other tugging on his hair.

He moved to her other nipple, enjoying the purrs of pleasure, the way she tugged on his hair when she enjoyed something, the way her body vibrated with pleasure.

Riley felt his hands drop away from her body and her eyes shot open just long enough to see him unzipping his pants, pushing them down to his knees.

He put one arm around Riley, pulling her as close to the edge of the desk as possible before pulling her down to his lap, entering her.

She moaned feeling him fill her, "That's exactly what I needed."

"Same" he could feel his heart beating like a pack of wild horses as Riley rode him, he couldn't hold back, just being inside of her, hearing her moans of pleasure pushed him over the edge as he spilled into her.

Riley held onto him as tightly as possible, as she felt her body vibrate with pleasure, she slowed her movements, still enjoying the feel of him.

Lucas began kissing her neck, "You drive me insane Riley, in the best way possible."

She closed her eyes as she felt his hands moving over her body, "You make me feel alive." She confessed.

She opened her eyes as she rested her forehead against his, "Tell me we don't have to go anywhere tomorrow? I just want to take you home and spend every possible minute with you in bed before Church on Sunday."

"I'm yours to do with whatever you please Riley, tell me what you want and you've got it." He kissed her, feeling the way she relaxed into him.


	25. -heard you sigh-

_**Author Note: I am so sorry this took so long. I had to go and re-write it because I really wasn't happy with how it first turned out. So, I hope you enjoy it, and you can always let me know here or on twitter.**_

* * *

 **-heard you sigh-**

"Lucas Friar, stop that!" Riley giggled as she felt his hands slip inside her towel and around her waist as his lips tasted her neck.

"Why, you're so delicious."

"We have to go to church, I know I missed last week and from what I hear, so did you." She felt her body lean against his, "Why didn't you go to church last week?"

"Hungover, I drank myself stupid when you left." He confessed, shocked by his own honesty.

Riley bit her lip, as she felt where his hand was attempting to go, "Well we don't have to worry about that again do we, Lucas!"

He chuckled, "No we don't." He slowly, reluctantly backed away, his hands in the air, feeling her eyes on him or maybe just on his black boxer-briefs.

Riley looked at his reflection in the mirror, "Now go get dressed."

"Whatever you say Ri," he smirked before disappearing into the closet.

She shook her head as she tried to finish styling her hair with the curling iron. Just as she finished up Lucas came out from the closet wearing a pair of khakis and a blue button down shirt, "Looking good Doc."

"Thank you." He rolled the sleeves up as he looked her over, "You plan on going to church in a towel?"

She rolled her eyes, "No" she went to the closet, "I'll be out in a minute."

Lucas leaned against the counter, turning off the curling iron after she vanished. When she came out a moment later he felt his heart pick up speed, she wore a white dress that hit just above her knees with big pink flowers on it. She'd pulled her hair up in a twist he could only describe as romantic. "You look beautiful."

She blushed, feeling his eyes on her, "Thank you." Looking in the mirror she adjusted her hair just a little bit, "Come on Gigi and Zay are waiting, or they should be."

Lucas nodded as he followed her, how was he going to survive when she left him? He stopped her on the stairs, his hands on her hips as he pulled her close to him, "Let's forget lunch with Gigi and Zay, have a picnic in the same spot as last weekend, what do you say?"

She felt her breath hitch when he touched her, her body vibrate with anticipation "We better get more sunscreen after church."

"You minx" he breathed into her ear.

"Keep talking like this and we won't make it to church." She giggled.

Lucas sighed, "We have to go."

"Yes, we do." She didn't move, "Um, people are um, going to ask if we've set a date, what do you want to tell them?"

He closed his eyes breathing in her fruity scent for a moment, "We tell them, March 27th."

Riley blinked, "That's a funny date."

Lucas released her, smirking, "Let's go."

She was confused as she followed him down the stairs and into the kitchen where Gigi and Zay were waiting.

"I told you they'd show up. They need Jesus after being locked in that bedroom since Friday night." Gigi handed them each a travel mug of coffee, "The Lord won't hold the service, so let's go."

* * *

Dixie chewed on her thumbnail as she stood in the corner of the social hall, her eyes following Riley and Lucas as they chatted with different people.

"Talked to your Dad, he said someone is interested in buying the ranch." Mayor Harris moved next to his niece, "That boy is a fool to not see what he could have with you."

"Please that bitch already ran off to New York once, she'll run off again." Dixie shrugged, "Who wants to buy the ranch?"

Mayor Harris shrugged, "Some huge firm, they'll probably look at the property and see it'll be too much work to update."

Dixie sighed, "Yeah, I don't know why he wants to sell."

"He wants to retire." Mayor Harris rolled his eyes, "If I didn't know better he wants to kick you out of the nest once and for all."

Dixie sighed, "But who would take care of him?"

"That woman he's been romancing in Phoenix." He shrugged, "Think the Doc is going to beat me?"

"Nope, he's engaged to some New York trollop." Dixie chuckled, "You know she's entering the bake-off, think she's ever baked anything not from a box?"

"Doubtful, she probably doesn't cook either." He took a sip of his lemonade, "Just make sure you prove she's not cut out to be a Texas wife."

"Oh, I've got a plan to rattle her." Dixie smirked as she saw Riley showing off the ring to Mrs. Miller. "What does anyone even know about this girl, other than the fact that supposedly Lucas dated her in New York."

"Maybe you should see what you can find out." Mayor Harris saw someone wave to him and he left his niece alone.

Dixie had already looked Riley up on social media, nothing out of the ordinary, she wasn't very active. Occasionally a picture of her and her best friend Maya, or a picture of a dress or flowers. She'd tried to find news articles on her but the only things that came up were from high school and college, some random article that mentioned her as an intern for Senator Eric Matthews, and Dixie for half a second wondered if they were related but figured they weren't.

She just had to find a weak spot when it came to Riley, something she could use to get her to pry her nails out of Lucas.

Everyone in Rosewood Springs knew he was meant to be with Dixie, so, why didn't he?

* * *

"So, when are you two getting married?" Gloria Maya studied the couple, if it was possible she was sure they were even more in love now than they had been a few days ago.

"March 27th" Riley smiled, "You know we've got to have time to plan it and everything."

"Wonderful, March is different, but I'm sure it will be beautiful."

"Yeah" Riley felt kicked in the gut, March was a long time away, and the engagement wasn't real, what if it was never real?

Lucas took her hand, "We should get going, Gloria May I'm sure we'll see you later."

"Oh, you can bet on it." She looked to Riley, "Lunch tomorrow?"

"I can't, I have some stuff to do, but Tuesday?"

"Tuesday works, text me."

"Will do." Riley squeezed Lucas' hand as he guided her through the social hall. "Anxious for a picnic?"

"Maybe" He smiled, "Plus Zay and Gigi are both staring at their phones."

"Okay, let's get out of here."

* * *

Riley had gotten changed out of her dress and into her bikini, slathering sunscreen on before pulling on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Lucas had gone to get the horses ready. "Gigi," Riley called her at the door of her room.

Gigi was finishing braiding her hair, "What's going on?"

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Reading whatever trashy novel, I can find, maybe binge watching something on Netflix. I'm done with classes until next week, why?"

Riley took a few steps into the room and closed the door, "I need your help with something, work related."

"You need me to find pictures of Lucas or something?"

Riley waved her hand, "No, nothing like that. I'm looking at a piece of property tomorrow, and I would like you to come with me. I know from the pictures on the website it needs work, a lot of work, and I need a designer's eye. I'll loan you one of my suits, we'll do our make-up, and see if this property really has the potential that I think it does."

"You're buying property here?"

Riley nodded, "At least thinking about it, if I can get the place for a decent price. I think it'll cost a bit to get it profitable."

Gigi bit her lip, "Do you realize how expensive property around here is?"

"We're just looking tomorrow."

"Shouldn't you bring Lucas, he knows ranching stuff."

"He does, but the place we're looking at isn't a working ranch."

Gigi's eyes went wide, "The Carmichael ranch? You want to buy it?"

"It's an option."

"Riley, you're not doing this just to get back at Dixie, are you?"

"No, that's just a perk if this goes through." She sat on the bed next to Gigi, "That ranch is a mess, it's at least twenty years out of date décor wise, buildings are neglected, the grounds are so-so, it can't be profitable, I researched how it's marketed, and Dixie has dropped the ball. It could be something amazing, if I can purchase it, it could become an amazing resort for families, couples, businesses, the kind of place you come once, and want to return to."

"Wait why do I have to wear a suit?"

Riley smiled, "Because we're going to be playing the role of Big Time Corporate girls. The realtor doesn't know either of us, he's a guy from Austin, we're just the minions for the company that wants to buy the property."

"What company?"

"A new one I've just set up," Riley rose to her feet, "The Maiar Group."

"What does The Maiar Group do?"

"Whatever I want it to do." Riley went to the door, "We'll talk more later, I've got to go meet your brother for a picnic."

Gigi simply nodded, trying to comprehend what had just happened, what was Riley up to?

* * *

Riley giggled as Lucas helped her down from Wind, "You know I don't think you had to take me on a picnic to get me alone."

He held on to her, "I just thought we could use some sun, fresh air, we can't stay cooped up in the bedroom all the time, can we?"

Riley draped her arms around his neck, "No, I guess not."

Lucas pulled away as he moved to set up the picnic blanket, "Champagne this time." He looked to her as he showed off the bottle in the ice chest.

"Are we celebrating something?" she twisted the ring on her left hand, watching him.

He reached for her, "That we're here, together, and no one else matters, no other place matters."

Riley felt her breath hitch as her body pressed against his, "I wouldn't want to be any other place in the world, with anyone else."

His lips took hers, hungry, passionate as he held her close. His hands slipping under her shirt, exploring her back until his finger wrapped around the string of her bikini top, slowly pulling it free.

"Lucas" she sighed, feeling her body arch towards him.

He moved his lips down her neck, "I can't get enough of you Riley, tell me to stop and I will."

"We should swim before lunch, and afterwards…see what happens." She sighed as she felt his fingers retie the strap.

"You're right, we should." He pulled away far enough to watch Riley strip her t-shirt and shorts off as she stared at him while he removed his own.

Riley bit her lip, God he was tempting, she could spend the rest of her life with his arms around her, her legs around him. It took every bit of willpower she had to run towards the dock, slip off her flip flops and jump into the water. "Come on Friar, catch me if you can."

Lucas followed her jumping into the water, swimming towards her, grabbing her as she treaded water. "Caught you."

She smiled, "Looks like you did."

He held onto her as they treaded water, "You don't remember what March 27th is, do you?"

She kissed his jawline, "Our first date, our first kiss."

"I was afraid you forgot." He pushed the wet hair from her eyes, the palm of his hand caressing over her face.

"Never, some moments you remember forever." She slipped out of his embrace and started to swim away from him, looking back to see him chasing after her. She splashed him when he got close enough before she saw the other way.

They continued this for a while before he finally got her in his arms again, the afternoon sun glowing behind her, "You're so beautiful."

"Lucas" she felt self-conscious.

"It's true, inside and out, you are beautiful, amazing, the way you care about others, the way you help people." He could get lost in her brown eyes, he was getting lost in her, them, this fantasy.

"It sounds so false when others say this kind of stuff, but you, it sounds true." Riley kissed him slowly, wrapping her arms and legs around him.

Lucas smiled as her lips moved over his, "Well I think it's true."

"How in the world did I get so lucky to find you in my life?"

He kissed her neck as he guided her back to the dock, "You fell into my lap on the subway after I smiled at you."

"You pulled me onto your lap, and you know it Friar."

"Maybe, back then part of me knew."

"Knew what?" She asked as he grabbed hold on the dock ladder.

He helped her up the ladder before following her, the afternoon sun on their wet skin as he looked her over as his hands rubbed her arms, "That you and I were meant to have this, be this."

"And here we are, together." She took his hands on hers, "Let's have some lunch, drink some champagne, enjoy the sun."

"Sounds perfect." They slipped their flip flops back on to walk over to the blanket. Riley immediately took hers off after sitting down, feeling the heat of the sun drying her as she watched Lucas opening the champagne bottle.

Lucas smiled as Riley took out the strawberries, taking a bite, watching the sweet juice on her lips. He quickly poured two glasses handing her one before sitting beside her, he knew the words were on the tip of his tongue desperate to break free. "Do you really like the ring?" he decided to break the silence to control himself from what he wanted to say, needed to say.

Riley smiled, "It's beautiful, the perfect ring. I think it's an honor to get to wear it."

He finished his champagne, "I'm glad you get to wear it."

She cupped his face with her palm as she kissed him, feeling her body flutter, each kiss, each touch, confirmed what they hadn't said, almost as if the words weren't needed. Her hands moved down his chest, just feeling his damp skin before she got to the edge of his swim shorts.

"Riley" he sighed, feeling her fingers between his body and the elastic.

"Touch me Lucas" she sighed as her fingers found what they'd been searching for.

Lucas kissed down her neck as her fingers danced over his growing cock. He released the ties of her bikini top, pulling it off her kissing each breast, kneading them gently in his hands, his tongue teasing each nipple, as he laid Riley down on the blanket before his hands moved down to undo her bikini bottom.

Riley dropped Lucas' cock from her hand long enough to sit up and push his swim shorts down as far as she could. She felt his hands on her back as his lips marked her neck before he laid her back on the blanket, his hands caressing down her legs.

He looked into her eyes as his finger slipped inside of her, slowly curling his finger inside of her in a come-hither motion.

She moaned deep from inside herself when he did that and he knew he was on the right path as he positioned her legs over his shoulder as he lowered his mouth to her hot core.

She felt her entire body flicker with a white-hot passion as his tongue slowly explored her, dipping in, slipping out, flicking against her clit.

Her fingers gripped his hair, her heels dug against the hard muscles of his back as her body twisted to have him as deep in her as he could be as the pulses of pleasure danced through her body.

Lucas tasted and teased her, feeling her body tense and cling to him. The muffled sounds of her peak called out into the air. He didn't stop, he couldn't stop until he felt her body relax and his tongue made a path to her naval, he looked to her, blissful as she focused on catching her breath as he slowly kissed his way to her lips.

"That was" Riley spoke in a sigh filled purr. "Pure bliss."

He didn't say anything, instead he kissed her. Slipping his tongue between her lips, feeling the way she clung to him as her legs wrapped around him, rolling him so he was beneath her.

Lucas watched her as she explored his body with her fingers, surprised, amazed, things he'd only fantasized about were becoming reality, things he was sure would only exist in his imagination. Maybe he had a chance, maybe, this would be real. He couldn't imagine her being like this with anyone else.

He just had to find the right moment, the right time to ask her to be with him, forever.


	26. -my body aches-

**_Author Note: Hey look a new chapter, and it didn't take a whole week this time. So I hear some of you are shipping Zay and Gigi._**

* * *

 **-my body aches-**

Gigi looked in the mirror as Riley fixed her hair into a tight corporate bun, "Are you sure this is how we need to dress for this?"

"Yes," Riley put the final bobby pin before she looked at her work, "Incase Dixie or anyone is around that would recognize us, it's not time for anyone to find out what I'm doing, if that makes sense."

"It does" Gigi barely recognized the woman in the mirror, "besides, I think your idea for this resort would be good for Rosewood Springs."

"I think so as well." Riley went into the closet and brought out two suits with skirts that hit just above the knee, "This should fit you."

"Thanks," Gigi changed in the closet while Riley quickly changed in the bathroom, when she came out she looked at the older woman, "Riley, when are you going to tell Lucas about this?"

"When I know, it's going to happen." Riley touched up her makeup before looking to Gigi, "I don't want to tell him and then have it fall through."

Gigi nodded as she slipped on her favorite black heels, "Won't this conflict with your actual job?"

Riley paused, "Actually, um, well, I got bought out of the firm. I'm no longer a political consultant."

"What do you mean?"

Riley sighed, "That emergency I got called back to New York for, it was Smackle basically kicking me out of the company, with a very expensive buyout. So when I left New York, I left that entire life behind, to come back here."

"But you haven't told Lucas, yet have you?"

"Not the work stuff, it's I don't even know. I'm still confused about how that all went down really." Riley looked down at her hands, at the ring, "I want to have things figured out when I tell him."

Gigi knew the longer Riley kept this a secret the harder Lucas would take it, "Just I hope you figure it out soon."

"So, do I." Riley sighed, "Come on, we've got to go meet with a realtor."

* * *

Christopher Bennett had been in the real estate business for more years than he cared to admit. The Carmichael property had been his listing for far too long. He'd told them if they got an offer over two million they would be fools not to accept it.

They'd had a couple of offers over the last year, but the Daughter God she was a nightmare always seemed to convince her Father is wasn't worth it. Christopher didn't understand what she was trying to hold onto. The property was falling apart, in need of someone who could afford to put the proper care and upkeep into it, which they obviously couldn't.

When he'd gotten the call from The Maiar Group about sending two young women to look at the property, he said a prayer that they would want the property, and make an offer, and that Mr. Carmichael would take it.

He saw the SUV pull up, New York plates. Two women got out, dressed professionally, polished in a way most women around here were not. "Hello, I'm Christopher Bennett." He introduced himself to the two women.

"I'm Ms. Lawrence, and this is my associate Ms. Darcy" Riley told him as she shook his hand, "We cannot wait to see the property."

"Well come with me." He led them to one of the golf carts they had to move around the property.

Gigi and Riley got on, each taking out their phones to take notes on things they saw that needed improvements, needed to be torn down, or something that could be built.

They both listened as described the property, Riley had more notes than she'd expected when they started to explore the structures. When she saw the guest rooms she knew they needed to be updated, and that more would have to be built. It as the main lodge, which also served as the family home that struck her the most.

It was too much like a home, there was no separation it seemed. She looked over to see Gigi tapping away into her phone with notes, ideas. Riley had no plans to live on the actual property herself, but staff would. The entire place needed an overhaul, to be redefined. She tried to crunch the numbers in her head, as the moved around the building.

She still wanted the property, but the asking price was a joke as far as she was concerned considering the amount of work it would take to get it up and running at the bare minimum.

"So, do you think this could be the next property for The Maiar Group?" Christopher asked as they returned to the parking lot.

Riley looked at the information sheet, "We would like to make an offer, it's below the asking price however."

He wasn't surprised, he knew that price was only there to appease the owner's daughter. "You can make whatever offer you want, I'll take it to the seller and see if they'll accept it."

"Wonderful" Riley slipped her phone into her purse. "Let's get that paperwork set up."

* * *

"Riley, do you think they'll accept your offer?" Gigi moved around the kitchen as they made lunch.

"No idea, but with all the work that property needs, they're not going to get anywhere near the asking price." Riley poured a glass of iced tea taking a sip, "For now, we wait, and if I get it, then we can start the next phase."

"Which is what exactly?"

"I'm going to have to find an architect, get the whole resort laid out, and then once that's done we can start figuring out how to decorate it. You want it welcoming, and yeah you want it to say Texas, Dude Ranch, but not screaming it in your face kind of thing, at least I don't think." Riley sat at the table thinking.

Gigi sat across from her, "If you get it, then will you tell Lucas."

"Yeah, I will." Riley took a sip of her tea, "Gigi, you know on a different subject, I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Okay, what?" She couldn't for the life of her think of what Riley would want to ask her.

"You and Zay, what's going on?"

Gigi was frozen for a moment before looking up to Riley, "Nothing he's Zay, Lucas' best friend, my boss…"

"You want more, don't you?" Riley could see she was nervous.

"It doesn't matter, he doesn't, he's made that clear." Gigi picked at her nails, "I've kissed him, something is there, but something is stopping him. I guess the age difference. So, I'm dating Deacon, who is wonderful."

"Zay is jealous."

"Yeah well, he had a chance, he made the decision to turn me down." Gigi looked around, "Does Lucas know?"

"Not really." Riley looked around the kitchen, "Gigi, don't settle for someone because they fit some qualifications on paper. Fight for what your heart wants."

"Like your heart wants Lucas?"

"Something like that," She took a sip of her tea, "Listen, Zay has never had the best luck with the ladies, and if he feels something real that might scare him."

"I'll think about it, I'm not sure I could take the rejection a third time." Gigi confessed, "I'm still human after all."

"I understand, who knows maybe you need this heartbreak, before you can really fall in love."

Gigi just shrugged, she wasn't sure, she knew things couldn't stay in this limbo forever, had she created it all, or was there something there? No, she could remember the passion she felt the last time they kissed. "Riley, when did you know Lucas had your heart?"

"You're going to think I'm awful, but part of me knew, for sure it was always Lucas the first night I was here in Texas. I was so hurt still from these stupid misunderstandings, miscommunications." Riley sighed, "It's always been Lucas, it will always be Lucas, there is no one else for me in this world."

"I hope my idiot brother finally realizes what he has." Gigi got up from the table, "Because he would be a real idiot if he let you go again."

"Well, I have no plans to let him go." Riley assured her just as her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID, taking a deep breath before answer, "Riley Lawrence of The Maiar Group."

 _"They accepted your bid, and desire for the quick sale. You close on Friday Morning."_

Riley smiled, she hadn't expected that at all, "That's wonderful thank you. We can't wait. Just email me the details."

Gigi studied her as Riley hung up, "You got it?"

"Yeah, I did." She sat back in her seat, "I think I didn't realize I would."

"Well now you've got to figure out how to tell Lucas."

"Yeah, I guess I do." Riley got lost in thought, how was she going to explain this all to him?

* * *

Gigi walked into the office, Zay was at the computer. "We need to talk."

He looked up, her hair wavy, falling on her shoulders, she had her uniform on, but something was different. "What's going on?"

She chewed the inside of her cheek, "Why won't you give us a chance?"

He closed his eyes, rising from the desk chair to close the door. Not that anyone was around. "Gigi, you're 19, I'm 32. That's a huge age difference. What I'm possibly looking for, isn't going to be the same thing you're looking for."

She took a step towards him, there was still space between them, but his back was pressed against the door. "I don't care how old you are, or how old I am Zay. I care that even when I'm with Deacon I think about what it would be like if it was you kissing me, if you were the one touching me."

"Are you and Deacon sleeping together?" He felt his stomach flip as he looked at her.

"Give me a reason not to sleep with Deacon." She took a step towards him, her hands resting on either side of him.

"Gigi" Zay gulped, he wanted to give in, he was dying to give in.

"Do you want me, this is your last chance Zay." Her voice shook as she spoke. If he rejected her now, she would know, it would be over, she could really, truly move on with Deacon.

He kissed her, his hands combing into her hair as he pulled her against his body, his tongue slipping between her lips, as he heard her sigh as her arms wrapped around him.

Gigi felt electrified as he kissed her, she felt his hands in her hair as she wrapped her body around him, returning the kiss. She was terrified, a knot in her stomach that any moment he would break away, tell her it was a mistake.

His lips moved down her neck, tasting the sweetness of her skin as his hands slipped under her t-shirt.

A moan escaped her lips as she clung to him, suddenly realizing her back was pressed against the door as his hand moved over her bra.

He was stunned as she leaned into his touch, practically purring. He always believed she would pull away if things ever got this far.

Gigi let her hands move down the sides of his body before falling to the front in between them, down to the front of his jeans. She gasped when his fingers squeezed her nipple.

Zay almost stopped until he felt the pressure of his pants released, and warm finger tips slipping inside, a jolt of energy he never experienced before flooded through his body.

Her eyes were closed, she was afraid to open them if this turned out to be a dream, but it felt so real as her hand moved over the hard, warm, shaft. Her lips quivered as she felt her shirt pulled down under her breast and the hot wet mouth devouring her.

Gigi was afraid to speak as she felt the desire building inside of her, she was desperate for him, to feel him touch her, to feel him inside of her, but what if she broke this spell.

Zay slowly moved down her body, a sad moan escaping his lips when he had to pull away from her touch, but soon his lips were on her abs, his fingers unzipping her jeans, pulling them down as he kissed his way down.

She jumped when he touched her, she'd never felt as sensitive as she did now, it had never felt this good before either.

He kissed along her thigh, her hip as his fingers slowly, explored her, the gasps of pleasure releasing from her as a wave of never before felt passion erupted inside of her. He held her hips with both hands as his tongue took over, hearing the pleasure escape her lips in a way he'd only fantasized about late at night in his bed.

Gigi's heart was racing as everything she'd thought she'd known, everything she'd thought she understood was replaced with something even more amazing. She tried to focus on her breathing as Zay moved up her body, his lips tasting each exposed area of skin it could before reaching her lips.

The kiss was deeper, needier, than any she'd experienced before, she knew she couldn't go back to what she'd known. This had to be just the start, this couldn't be just a onetime thing.

Someone began knocking on the door. Zay groaned, what the hell could be so important, "Who is it?"

"Zay, it's Lucas."

The bubble between them burst, panic rippled through them both. "I'm finishing something up Man, I'll meet you at the bar in like five minutes' okay?" He called through the door.

"Fine, whatever." Lucas' footsteps moved away from the door.

Gigi closed her eyes, "Do you think he heard?"

"No, he wouldn't have knocked if he had." Zay pulled away, what had he just done?

She could see it the regret clouding over him as she tried to redress herself.

Zay pulled his pants back up, fixed his shirt before going to his private bathroom. He shouldn't have given in, if Lucas hadn't shown up when he had, things would've gone even further. He washed his face and hands, looking at Gigi when he came back into the office, "I'm sorry, that shouldn't have happened."

She nodded, afraid to speak, afraid to look at him. For a moment she'd been in heaven, in a place she'd never known had existed until now, only to have it snatched away.

When she heard, the door closed she went into the bathroom room, cleaned herself up, before sitting down on the floor and crying. At least now she knew. But was she better off, she wasn't sure she would ever know that.


	27. -old t-shirt that I love-

_**Author Note: Oops, sorry this one took so long. If you have any questions at all about anything, it is Saturday so you can drop those in my ask box on tumblr and I'll answer stuff tonight during Slumber Party Saturday. I'm trying to get this posted real quick before I get called outside to play with the nephews—yes all three are here today. Hopefully if you're reading this on Fanfic you got an actual notification, if you're finding this days later I'm sorry I can't control when/if updates are sent out. XOXO**_

* * *

 **-old t-shirt that I love-**

When Lucas arrived home, he found Riley in the living room watching a movie on TV. She was wearing yoga pants, a tank-top, and a thin zip hood. He stood back just watching her, thinking of how beautiful she looked now, not trying, just being. He was already used to coming home to her. He put his bag down and slowly moved over to the couch, laying down on top of her, kissing her neck, "Hey beautiful."

"Hey, you" Riley sighed into his touch, "When did you get home?"

"A few minutes ago, how was your day?" He settled in so he was now laying behind her, holding her against his body.

"My day was good, how about yours?" She couldn't believe how relaxed she felt in his arms.

"Zay was a little weird when I stopped by the bar before coming home, but other than that an okay day. No run ins with Dixie or Mayor Harris."

Riley bit her lower lip, wondering if she should tell him about her purchase, "That's good. I haven't made anything for dinner yet, I kind of got sucked into this old Joan Crawford movie."

"We could just pop some popcorn, get some of the chocolate I have hidden in the pantry, watch whatever movie is on next."

"I like the sound of it, you go get your pajamas on, I'll go make the popcorn."

"Deal" He sighed when he pulled away from her, watching as she paused the TV as the credits of the movie played. He pushed himself off the couch before going up stairs to change. When he got back downstairs he saw her sitting on the couch, a giant bowl of popcorn in her lap, the pieces of chocolate mixed in, and two beers sitting on the table. This, was everything he wanted. He could make love to Riley every night until she left him, but even with that craving, _this_ was going to be what he really missed, what he really needed. No one else could ever give this to him.

"You are not going to believe what the next movie is" she practically sang as she moved just a little bit from the center of the couch, feeling him settle against her.

"What is it?" he grabbed a handful of the popcorn mixture as she picked the remote up to press play, a few seconds later _Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid_ started playing. "Yes, I love this one."

"I know you do." She smiled with satisfaction before leaning into his embrace, she hadn't realized how much she missed watching a movie at home with him until now. If she closed her eyes for just a moment she could picture them watching some Disney movie with some kids around them for a family night, they would have that, they could have that, it was all just a matter of time now.

* * *

Gigi pulled herself together, splashed her face with icy water, gave Deacon a lingering kiss when he stopped in. She could feel Zay watching, it didn't matter, he'd made his decision, he let Gigi see that she was nothing but a mistake for him.

"Hey" Deacon pulled her onto his lap, "You okay?"

Gigi nodded, "Yeah, I just, I'm sick of this place."

"The bar?"

"Yeah, I'm sick of working nights, going to school, being exhausted." She let her fingers play with the strawberry hair on the nape of his neck, "I want to go to bed at a decent time, I want to wake up at a decent time. I want to do that with you."

Deacon smiled, "Maybe on your nights off you could come stay at my house."

Gigi bit her lip, "Maybe we could start that, maybe if I find a new job, I could spend more nights with you."

"If that's what you want, I think we can make that happen."

"It is, it's what I want." Gigi kissed his forehead, "I should get back to work."

He felt her rising, his hand trying to hold on to her, "I keep a key under the gnome by my door. If you want to practice that waking up thing in the morning."

She gazed into his blue eyes, "You won't freak out if I slip into your bed at three in the morning?"

"It would be a dream come true." He confessed as he brought her fingers to his hand and kissed them. "I gotta go though, I'll understand if you don't come over."

"I'll be there." She promised before grabbing her order pad and going to help some customers that just came in.

The night went on, the knot in her stomach growing with each minute as customers began to leave for the evening, some walking the few blocks to their homes, others relying on the sober friend to drive them.

Zay turned the music off. The others were clocked out as Zay went over the register drawer and Gigi put the chairs up. When she was done, she came over to the bar, untying her apron, removing everything from the pockets.

"Good tips tonight?" He looked up from the credit card receipts.

"Yeah" She took her cash sliding it into her back pocket, "So about earlier."

Zay put his hands down on the counter, looking down before he looked up at her, "It never should've happened, I'm sorry Gigi. I gave into temptation."

"Is that what I am, temptation?" Her voice unsteady as she felt the tears starting to pool in her eyes.

"You are an amazing young woman." He confessed, "And if I was ten years younger Gigi, I wouldn't question giving in."

"So, it's because of my age?" She chewed the inside of her cheek.

"What are your friends doing right now?" He looked at her, trying to ignore the tears he could see in her eyes.

She glanced at the clock, "Sitting in Casey's drinking coffee, eating cheese fries, giggling over the people they flirted with tonight."

"And my friends have been in bed for hours, sleeping next to the people they love, checking on their sleeping kids." Zay looked to her, "We're in two different worlds Gigi, we could catch on fire together like we did earlier. We would burn fast and hard. We would crash and burn. And what would we have in two months, maybe six tops Gi? We wouldn't have each other, we would hurt each other, and we would hurt your brother."

She tried to absorb his words, "This is about Lucas?"

"No, but he's your brother, my best friend, if we did what we wanted to do, what we almost did today, we would never come back from it."

"I quit." Gigi released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in, "I quit this job, I quit holding out hope for you. Don't worry I'll never tell Lucas about you giving me an orgasm in your office."

"If you think this is for the best." He felt his stomach knot, he'd known for a while now she would quit sooner or later.

"I do."

"What are you going to do for a job?"

Gigi shrugged, "Riley could probably use some help."

"Yeah a job until she runs back to Dave and New York." Zay shook his head.

"Riley's not running back to Dave or New York, unless Lucas is as terrified of being with her as you are with me." Gigi sucked in her cheeks as she looked around, "I'll see you around the house, maybe."

"Don't you need a ride home?" He called out as she went to the computer and clocked out.

"No, I made sure to bring my own car, I'm going to go and um, spend the night with Deacon."

"Gigi" Zay sighed as he watched her, "Don't do something stupid."

She scoffed, "I already did something stupid, well I would've if Lucas hadn't knocked on the door when he did earlier."

Zay walked over to her, "You know what Gigi, this attitude, this is why we could never work. Go play your games with Deacon, I'm too old for this shit. I don't want to just fuck around for a few months and move on."

Gigi shook her head, "Please Zay, you don't know what you want. Before I started working here, how many nights did you spend in the apartment upstairs with some drunk bitch you picked up down here?"

"Is that what you want, me bringing you up to that apartment, taking our clothes off, and what fucking for one night?" Zay shook his head, "Go crawl into bed with Deacon. Have fun with him, crash and burn and then move on."

"Deacon and I are not crashing and burning, thanks for waking me up to reality Zay." Gigi looked around the bar one last time, "Have fun being alone Zay, I hope your hand does you well tonight. I hope you think about how tight I would've been, how wet. I hope while you grip your dick tonight you think about the sounds you heard earlier, when you were making me climax all over your face."

He was silent as she walked away. He knew she was angry, but one day she would have to understand and see that this was the right decision.

* * *

Gigi parked the car next to Deacon's, her heart racing as she continued to grip the steering wheel. It was time to move forward, it was time for her to take control. She'd been holding on to some ridiculous school girl crush on her brother's best friend. Yet twelve maybe thirteen steps away, through the door was a man that was crazy about her.

The door of a guest-house on his parent's property, a man who was in his bed, possibly hoping that she would crawl in next to him.

What did he want to happen if she did?

What did she want to happen if she did?

She closed her eyes counting to five before she finally got out of the car, took the eleven steps to the door, crouching down to the gnome she picked up the key, rolling it over between her fingers several times before she unlocked the door, slipping inside.

It wasn't her first time in Deacon's home, she was thankful for the nightlights that guided her to the bedroom. She slipped through the door, standing next to his bed. She took a deep breath as she slipped out of her shoes, unzipped her jeans, pushing them down and stepping out of them.

She pulled her shirt off, unhooked her bra and tossed it to the floor before kneeling on the bed, seeing if he stirred, but he didn't before she crawled closer to him, nervously touching his arm.

Deacon moved just a little, not much, but closer to her.

She released a breath as she laid next to him, above the single sheet he had covering his body. She didn't move for a moment before she pressed her lips on his shoulder, then moved along to his neck, "Deacon, I'm here, I'm yours."

He murmured before slowly rolling over, looking up to her through sleep eyes, "My Angel."

"I told you I would come."

Deacon smiled as his fingers combed through her hair. "I love you." He confessed before he pulled her down to kiss.

Gigi pushed away the thoughts of Zay, the passion, the intensity she'd felt hours earlier and tried to enjoy the sweet simplicity, the honesty, the desire swirling from Deacon. "I love you" She moved her lips along his clean-shaven jaw line.

His hands moved down her body, he gasped when he realized he felt no clothing, "Are you naked?"

"I have panties on." She told him as she took his hand, "Peel them off of me Deacon."

"Are you sure?" his voice vibrated with nerves and desire.

She leaned closer to him, "After you left, when I had a break, I went to the ladies' room and I couldn't get you out of my head." His fingertips gently moved over her panties, "I want to feel you touch me Deacon, I want you to be the only man to give me an orgasm."

He curled his lips as he wrapped his fingers along the elastic of her panties, "I'll do my best Angel." He peeled them off her body as he slipped out from under the single sheet he'd been sleeping under.

Gigi let her fingertips run over his chest as he hovered over her, as they moved down to the band of his Calvin Klein boxer briefs, "Make me yours forever and always Deacon."

He kissed her neck, "Let me grab a condom."

"I'm on the patch, I have been since we started dating."

"Are you sure?" he studied her in the pale night light.

Her hands caressed his face, "Deacon, I am surer about you than of anything or anyone else. I need you, I need us, tonight, now, please."

Deacon nodded as he stood up discarding his boxers before laying over her, his hand sliding between her legs, his fingers discovering a place he'd only every fantasized about pleasuring. He wasn't a novice, he'd had girlfriends before, none had complained to him, even in anger that he hadn't been able to get them off, but with Gigi it was different. He felt something for her unlike the others.

Any worry Gigi had about doing this, being with Deacon washed away when she watched the way he looked at her, when she felt how gently he touched her. She opened herself up to him, needing to feel something real.

Her body arched when his thumb circled over her core. It was a different sensation than earlier, no longer a forbidden need, this was reciprocated.

She closed her eyes when she felt him slowly entering her. She bit her lip as she felt him inside her, fully.

Deacon moved slowly. Holding onto her, whispering words of love as they moved together. He kept one hand between them, teasing her clit, trying to have her feel exactly what she wanted.

"Dea" she gasped, feeling the little pulses of pleasure sweeping through her body, "harder" she pleaded and he obeyed as she felt the pulses grow in power, the waves crashing over her as he plunged into her.

"Gigi" he moaned deeply as he couldn't hold back, feeling her around him.

They were silent for a long moment, Gigi waited for him to tell her it was a mistake, but he didn't.

"I love you Gigi" he kissed her neck, "Did you, you know?"

She nodded, "I did" it wasn't a lie, she did orgasm, it just wasn't earth shattering, world changing.

"Good," he smiled as he smoothed the hair away from her face, "I meant what I said Gigi, I love you."

"I love you to Deacon, I know you wouldn't lie about that." She stared into his blue eyes. "You have the day off, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

She bit her lips, "We should go somewhere, some place and, we should, we should get married."


	28. -you don't want me back-

_**Author Note: I am so sorry this took so long. I had an allergic reaction and ended up in a Benadryl haze for a few days. I have no idea if FF is behaving or not, but I can't control any of the logistics with that site. Just remember I always cross post on tumblr as well. You can always check my twitter account to see if I've posted a new chapter. Okay enough rambling from me, enjoy the chapter.**_

* * *

 **-you don't want me back-**

Deacon pulled away from Gigi, "You want to get married?"

"Why not, we love each other right, let's get married, let's do what we know we're going to eventually do anyways." She watched him, she hadn't made another mistake had she?

He sat on the bed, "You still have what another year of school? I mean Lucas said he'll probably hire me on fulltime when my training is done in a few months, but Gigi, I do want to marry you. I kind of knew I wanted that after our first date."

"You knew then?" She wasn't making a mistake, she moved closer to him, her naked body pressing against his back, "I want to be with you Deacon, I want us to spend our nights making love, I want to be with you every single day for the rest of our lives. If we wait for the right season, or day, or whatever to get engaged we're just putting it off to make others happy."

Deacon closed his eyes as he felt her arms snaking around him, "You want to eventually have kids with me?"

"Yeah, I do." She kissed his neck, "Do you not want that?"

"I do" He confessed, "I just, I had a plan Gigi."

"What plan?"

"To propose to you on Christmas Eve. I didn't want to scare you by moving too quickly."

"Am I moving too quickly, am I scaring you?"

He sighed as he leaned into her. "Marry me Gigi, but let's not run away in the morning and do it, let's do it right."

"We could get married in December, give us a few months to arrange everything, figure stuff out." She kissed the back of his neck, "Let's do it Deacon."

He turned to her, pulling her body against his, "You are making me the happiest man in the world, more than I ever thought I could be."

Gigi held onto him, "Just don't let me go."

"You don't have to worry Gigi, I'll never let you go."

* * *

Riley poured a cup of coffee as she felt Lucas' arms wrap around her, "Morning Doc."

Lucas chuckled against her neck, "I can't believe you fell asleep during the movie last night."

"Me either," she leaned into him, "I can't believe you carried me up to bed."

"Of course, I did, I couldn't let you sleep on the couch. Besides I would get lonely in the bed without you." He confessed, how was he going to survive without her, he really didn't know any more if he could.

"That's not something you need to worry about." She sighed as he caught a look at the clock. "You have to get going."

He groaned with displeasure, "Fine, what are your plans for lunch?"

"Lunch with Gloria May and Gigi, want me to bring something by the office for you?"

"That would be wonderful if you could."

"I will." She turned to kiss him, slowly, the words on the tip of her tongue, begging to be released.

If only he hadn't given Deacon the day off, he would take Riley back to bed and make love to her all morning long. He sighed as he pulled away, "I'll see you at lunch."

Riley nodded as he left with his morning coffee, she took hers and sat at the table. A wall was still between them, not as large as the one that had been up before, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was still.

She started going over her paperwork when Zay came in looking like he hadn't slept at all. "What's wrong with you?"

He didn't speak as he poured himself a cup of coffee before sitting down at the table. He took a long sip as he studied Riley. Trying to piece together what was happening. "Gigi quit last night, thinks she can get a job with you."

"She can have a job with me, if she really wants one."

"What good is a job that ends in November when you go and forget all about us and run back to New York and Corn Chip Fucking Dave?"

Riley looked at Zay, "I'm not going back to New York, I'm not going back to Dave. I'm here, in Texas, with Lucas and I don't plan to be anywhere else. But I don't think you're mad about Gigi working for me, I think you're mad she won't be around you anymore."

"She can't be around me. It's not a good idea."

"What happened Zay, she kiss you? Tell you she's in love with you?"

Zay was frozen, he couldn't think, he couldn't speak, he didn't want to think or discuss this at all right now. Especially as he was processing everything else that Riley had just said.

"Let me guess, you have feelings for Gigi but you think the age difference and the fact that she is Lucas' sister make this a very, bad idea, right?"

Zay looked down at his coffee, still not speaking.

"What do you mean you're not going back to New York?"

"I'm done with that life, my life is here, with Lucas." Riley looked to Zay, "Now tell me what happened with Gigi."

"Something happened last night and I never should've let it get as far as it did." He confessed, "Gigi and I are on very different pages of our lives about what we want, what we need out of life. We could be the same page, and still be on different pages."

"The fact that she's Lucas' baby sister have anything to do with this?"

"It doesn't help, he would kill me if he ever found out anything happened."

"Are you in love with Gigi?"

He was silent, he had a feeling Riley already knew the answer.

"God Zay, if there is one thing I've learned is not to hide from my feelings. If you love her, be with her."

"What if we only make it a few months, and thing crash and burn around us?"

"And what if you don't crash and burn, what if this is it Zay, and you're giving it up out of fear."

He shook his head, "I lost my chance already Riles, I pushed her away last night, I broke her heart. No way would she ever forgive me."

"You know, I um, I thought, I could never forgive Lucas at one point. But I did, I'm here with him now." She twisted the ring on her finger, "Things aren't perfect, but I would rather be with him, then something that's perfect on paper"

"You and Lucas are perfect on paper though." Zay sighed, "Gigi and I make no sense at all. She's nineteen."

"So, what, you love her, you have to take a leap of faith at some point don't you?"

"She's right, I'm too scared to be with her."

"Whatever it was that did happen last night, in the moment did it feel, right?"

"Yeah, righter than anything else ever had."

"That's your answer Zay, take the leap of faith. I did, and I am much happier since then." She rose from the table to bring her coffee cup to the sink.

"How upset do you think Lucas is going to be?"

"If you and Gigi both want to be together, and are happy, he'll probably be more upset that you kept this from him."

"I just hope I'm not too late."

* * *

"Sorry I'm late, I had some errands to run this morning." Gigi slipped into the booth next to Riley and across from Gloria May.

"Yeah, like job hunting? Zay told me you quit last night." Riley raised an eyebrow as she studied Gigi.

Gloria May's mouth dropped open, "You quit on Zay, but you're his best waitress. Why on earth would you quit, you had to have been making decent money."

Gigi bit her lower lip, "I um, got tired of the late nights, the drunk guys hitting on me. I've got classes starting next week and it's just exhausting. I need something with better hours, maybe something in actual interior design, anyone know of something?"

"I'm sure I could find you something." Riley told her, "So you didn't sleep at home last night, where were you?"

"Ooh, this is juicy." Gloria May put her menu down just in time to catch a warning look from Riley.

"I went over to Deacon's, I spent the night there. I'm probably going to be doing that a lot more often."

Riley put her menu down just as the door of the diner flew open as if a gust of wind had done so. All three women looked over to see Dixie standing in the doorway, her hair looking as though the tornado from the _Wizard of Oz_ had been her stylist, her eyes red, her lips trembling as she looked around, her eyes landing on her Uncle.

Every set of eyes in the diner were on Dixie as she went to her Uncle, the tears bursting back from whatever dam had been holding them in. "He sold the ranch!" Her voice carried, "For half the asking price! We have to be out by Friday, can you believe that, Friday at noon!"

Gigi glanced to Riley who just nodded.

Gloria May caught the look, "This drama queen over there, like she hasn't known the ranch has been up for sale for almost two years." She rolled her eyes, "She should be thankful it sold at all. I hope whoever bought it has plans, because right now it's a rundown mess."

"I'm sure anyone willing to put out that kind of money for a property has a plan."

"The Maiar Group! Who the hell are they even?" Dixie cried causing everyone to look over at her again. "Thieves that's who! What am I going to do, where am I going to go?"

"You're causing a scene Dixie, get a hold of yourself. You're almost 32 not 16." Mayor Harris reminded her, "You can come stay in my gate house, you'll figure something out."

"All my plans are going to hell." She whimpered. "I should've been married to Lucas by now, this shouldn't be a problem."

"Yes well, you didn't get your hooks into him now did you. So, woman up and figure out a new plan." He hissed to her.

Gigi looked to Riley who was back to studying the menu, "So, what's everyone ordering?"

* * *

Lucas sank into his desk chair to go over some paperwork just as he heard the intercom buzz, "Yes?" he replied.

"Riley's here with your lunch."

"Send her back please." Lucas rubbed his eyes perking up when the door opened, he could smell the food she carried and he wasn't sure what he was hungry for more, lunch or her.

"You missed quiet the show today." Riley placed the Styrofoam container on the desk, "Dixie came into the diner crying because her father sold the ranch. She was making this huge scene."

Lucas stopped opening the food container and looked up at Riley, "Someone actually bought the Carmichael Ranch? I hope they realize how much money it's going to cost them to make it profitable."

"They know." Riley said confidently as she sat on the other side of the desk, "A company called the Maiar Group bought it."

"Well good luck to them, that place is so run down. I don't know how they've been able to survive the last couple of years." He took a fry and offered it to Riley.

She didn't know why but she stopped herself from telling him it was her. "So, um, Gigi quit working for Zay last night. I told her she could help me out with stuff until she finds something she's more suited for."

"Why would she quit?"

"Late nights, sick of drunk guys hitting on her." Riley shrugged, "Or she's so in love with Zay that she hates being around him since he won't make a move in return because he's afraid you'll kill him."

His mind flashed to seeing Zay and Gigi kissing, "If they want to be together, they're both adults. I shouldn't be an excuse for either of them not to be together."

Riley nodded, "So you wouldn't kill Zay if he and Gigi got together?"

"Only if he broke her heart, but I think she would break his actually." He ate a fry as he contemplated what to say next, "I think Gigi isn't sure of what she wants, who she is, I don't think she has felt the kind of intensity one needs to feel when they've found the one. That's impossible to know unless you've felt it."

"I know what you mean." She got up from her seat and moved around the desk to come closer to him, she picked his hand up, "I know that this, is very different than anything else, and I don't know if I could imagine a world where it never existed."

Lucas kissed her hand, "It would be a bleak, gray world without this, without us."

"I should let you eat, I um, I gotta go pick up some stuff to make my practice cake for the bake off."

Lucas' eyes lit up, "What kind are you making?"

"Chocolate Cherry Pecan."

"No way, really?"

"Yes, I think it's perfect for the bakeoff, am I wrong?"

Lucas pulled her onto his lap, "It is beyond perfect. You know how much I loved the Chocolate Cherry Pecan cake from the bakery."

"Mine is even better." Riley smirked, "You'll find out tonight when you get home from work."

"Dessert before dinner?" He wiggled his eyebrows as he wrapped his arms around her.

"No, dinner then dessert, and then maybe we go to bed early." She arched her neck as she felt his lips move over her.

"I hope I finish up early, I love watching you in the kitchen." He confessed, needing to have as many memories of her burned into his mind as possible.

Riley kissed him slowly, not ready to pull away when she finally did, "I'll see you in a few hours, you better go work up a nice appetite for tonight."

Lucas held back the groan bubbling inside of him as she moved away from him, "For dinner, cake, or you?"

Riley turned to him from the door with a smile, "All three Doc, all three."


	29. -your everything-

_**Author Note: Yay new chapter! Not going to lie I rewrote part of this like 5 times. I think it works now, I hope it works now. I want to thank everyone who sends in anon's asking when the next chapter will be, and asking other stuff about the story, you guys rock.  
**_ _ **OH! Before I totally forget, over the weekend I posted the final 2 chapters of my original fic Perfect Imperfections (it's posted on fictionpress and my tumblr-same user name). If you haven't read it yet, I hope you do now and of course if you have any feedback on it I would love to hear it.**_

* * *

 **-your everything-**

Riley listened as music played in the kitchen while she chopped the pecans for the cake. She was lost in the activity she didn't hear the backdoor open when Gigi came in.

Gigi watched Riley for a moment before she put her bag down and came over to the kitchen island. "Riley, how old were you when you had your first orgasm?"

She stopped copping, her hands shaking as she put the knife down and looked up at the younger woman in front of her, "What?"

"How old were you when you had your first real orgasm?" Gigi bit her lip.

Riley twisted the ring on her finger, pulling it forward and slipping it back several times, "Oh gosh, um, I was um, twenty-one."

"Were you in love with the guy, or was it just an intense physical thing?" Gigi plucked a pecan from the cutting board.

Riley continued playing with the ring, pulling it further towards the tip of her finger. "I was madly in love with him, still kind of am." She looked down, "It was Lucas, he was the one who, the night we, yeah."

"Oh" Gigi sighed, "Ew. Um, like are orgasms different with someone you're in love with and someone you're not. Like what is the difference?"

Riley could hear her heartbeat in her ears instead of the little plop of her ring falling in the cake batter. "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy."

Gigi watched as Riley moved over to the kitchen table, sitting down, "Riley are you okay?"

"Um yeah" Riley looked up "Well, in um, my experience, for me, um I have had the intense, full, kind of orgasms with the man I love. I mean I kind of, not really had them. Like God, okay."

"Riley?"

She looked up, her hands waving in the air, "Okay, so like other guys that are not Lucas um, they kind of got me there, but not like, even close to the reaction I have to being with him."

Gigi tried following, "So like if you have like an earth shattering, soul changing climax, you're with the man you love?"

Riley pushed up from the table, "Zay gave you an orgasm!"

Gigi shook her head, "No, no, no, Zay, me, never, no, that is, totally not a thing."

"Bullshit" Riley looked to her, pointing a finger to the younger woman. "You are crazy in love with Zay, he has feelings for you. Deacon is a nice guy, yeah, but don't be stupid Gigi, don't settle for a guy when your heart is aching for someone else."

Gigi looked at her hands, "Nothing is going on with me and Zay, yes I was attracted to him, but um, Deacon asked me to marry him last night."

"Gigi, I've seen the way you look at Zay, and the way you look at Deacon." She came across, taking her hands in her own, "Don't run away from your heart, you need to chase love."

"I did, its Deacon." Gigi pulled away, "And what about you Riley, here you are playing house with my brother."

Riley looked around the kitchen, "Lucas and I, we're complicated." She moved back to the island picking up the knife to finish chopping the nuts, "I didn't chase Lucas, I didn't hold onto him, the way I wanted to, the way I needed to. I'm telling you from my experience, not to be as stupid as I was."

"I'm not, Deacon is the man I love." Gigi tried to stand tall, "But um, I'm glad you figured out you need to chase my brother. From what I've seen, he's not running, not from you."

"I know, that's why Lucas and I are together." Riley poured the nuts into the batter folding them in before looking up at Gigi, "I love your brother, he's amazing, I'm amazing with him. I feel like myself with him. Do you feel like yourself around Deacon or Zay?"

Gigi watched Riley, "Deacon, he's the one."

"Then I wish you luck." Riley told her as she opened the can of cherry pie filling.

Gigi moved to the island, "I adore Zay, but um, it would never work. He's too old for me Riley. He's a forever bachelor, and no woman can change that. Deacon takes my hand and I know that this is the hand I want to hold forever."

"Good, when are you going to tell Lucas?" Riley poured the pie filling in the batter, mixing it together.

Gigi shrugged, "Soon, Deacon and I want to figure a few things out before we announce it."

Riley nodded before pouring the batter into the cake pans, "I hope you can still work for me, I need all the help I can get decorating the resort."

Gigi smiled, "Of course, I kind of need the job after quitting the Wild Z."

"You've got it, besides," Riley looked up, "Think of the look on Dixie's face when she finds out who The Maiar Group is."

Gigi laughed, "Good point. I should go get a few things, I'm spending the night at Deacon's again."

"Hey Gigi, you're using birth control, right?"

"Yeah, I've got that covered, don't worry Riley." Gigi stopped at the door before turning to look back, "You and Lucas, I mean you guys have sort of been like rabbits. Not that I wouldn't love to be an Aunt in the near future, but like you're using stuff, right?"

"Yes, we're protected." Riley carried the cake pans to the oven, sliding the cakes in.

"Good, just make sure my idiot brother doesn't let you slip away." Gigi left, trying to ignore the pit growing in her stomach, had Zay said something to Riley?

Riley set the timer and started cleaning up, only to stop when she realized the ring was no longer on her finger. Panic sweeping through her.

* * *

Riley stared at the cakes cooling on the counter before looking back at her left hand which was missing the ring Lucas had placed on it. She'd already searched through everything she'd thrown out since she started baking. She'd already spent time under the kitchen sink undoing pipes, hoping the ring could be found. But now she only had three places left to look.

The only possible location for the ring to be was in the chocolate cherry pecan cakes she'd removed from the oven a little while ago.

She chewed on her thumbnail as she looked at the cakes, she checked to see if they had cooled it enough before she flipped the first one over, pulling back the parchment paper from the bottom. "Please let the ring be in here." She pleaded out loud before she started turning the fresh baked cake into a pile of crumbs.

She was half way through the first one, tears threatening to stream down her face when Lucas came in. "Riley, what are you doing?"

She looked up to him, her eyes red, her lips were trembling, "I lost the ring, I don't know how it came off, but it did." She held up her hands covered in cake crumbs, "I checked the trash, the floor, I even messed with the pipes from the kitchen sink with help from a YouTube video, but the ring wasn't in any place I've looked. My only hope is that it fell into the cake batter before I baked them."

"Riley we'll find it." He was shocked she was so upset, he hadn't seen her this upset about her engagement ring giving her an allergic reaction. He came over and helped her dig through the cake when he felt the diamond against his finger as he plucked it from the pile, "See, no big deal."

She breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh thank God, I have been panicking all afternoon since I realized it was missing."

Lucas studied her, "It's just a ring Riley, it's just a piece of metal and a stone."

She bit her lower lip, "It's a really expensive ring though Lucas, it's platinum, and I know it must've cost you a lot and for you to have bought that just for this whole fake engagement . . ."

He clutched the ring in the palm of his hand, "I didn't buy it for our fake engagement."

"You didn't, then why did you have it?"

He was scared to look at her, "Um well, I bought this ring on my 18th birthday."

"But why?"

He closed his eyes for a moment before looking up at her, "Because I thought the girl I wanted to marry was going to come and surprise me for my birthday, and I wanted to surprise her with a proposal."

Riley closed her eyes for a moment, "You mean you bought this ring, to propose to me all those years ago?"

He nodded before he looked into her chocolate eyes, "This ring was always meant to sit on your finger Riley, it was never meant for anyone else."

She watched as he opened his palm, the ring covered in cake crumbs. She plucked it from him.

"How did it fall off, what were you doing that you could've been that distracted?"

She was wiping the ring clean with a paper towel, "Gigi came in and asked me about orgasms. It was kind of awkward, because I mean I would love to be totally open with her, but explaining that her brother is really the only man to ever give me a real orgasm is kind of weird."

"She wanted to know about those?" He rubbed his chest and neck, his eyes wide as he processed this new information.

Riley nodded, "Yeah, she asked when I had my first one and well I told her the truth I was twenty-one, the night you and I were together in Las Vegas. That's when I had my first real one."

Lucas knew it was fruitless to try and hold back his smile, "Really, I gave you, your first?"

She nodded, "Yeah, you did. Then she asked if there's a difference in them when you love someone and if you're just having sex."

"I'm partially curious about your answer, but also terrified she's asking about this stuff." Lucas confessed as he helped Riley clean up the cake crumbs from the kitchen island.

"I tried to tell her the truth." Riley looked to him, "That when you're with someone you are in love with, everything intensifies, everything means more, the physical act is coded with words and meanings we might not always be able to vocalize. That sure sex feels good, but when you love the man you're with, it's so much more."

"Wait" Lucas stopped her before she put the ring back on, "Did you say I'm the only man to give you a real orgasm?"

"You caught that part huh?"

"Yeah, I did, is that true?"

"Yeah, Lucas are the only man to give me an orgasm, you're the only one who has brought that depth to it. If I didn't feel the way I do about you then, I wouldn't. I never did with the others."

"Wait, hold up." Lucas moved closer to her, closing any space between them, "You're going to marry a man, you're going to marry Corn Chip Fucking Dave and he's never once made you climax?"

She studied him confused, "I'm not marrying Dave." She back away from him, feeling anger bubble up inside of her. "You think I would make love to you, several times a day, give myself to you, sleep next to you, in your arms if I was going to marry someone else?"

He threw his hands in the air, "I don't know Riley, we don't talk, anymore do we? Have we talked at all, really talked since you stepped out of that car?"

Riley closed her eyes, "I, broke up with Dave you idiot. I told you that was done. What did you think that meant?"

"I don't know" he confessed running his hand over his hair, "I don't know what I'm supposed to think or feel when you're around. I know that I love you, I love you more now than I did when we were younger. I fell in love with you all over again, I tried not to, I tried to talk myself out of it, but fuck it Riley I love you."

Her lips were trembling, she couldn't speak as she watched him.

"I forget sometimes that this is fake, that you're not my fiancé, that we're not going to get married because Riley, I want that." He watched her watching him, "I've always wanted that, I'm always going to want it. Do you have any idea how jealous I was when you spent the night with Dave? Do you realize I got blackout drunk when you left because I was afraid you weren't coming back?"

Her fingers lightly caressed his cheek, watching as he melted into a calmness. "About as jealous as I was when Dixie was flirting with you." She moved closer to him, "But I came home to you Lucas. I came here to be with you. Not just because I wanted to have sex with you. I mean I do enjoy the orgasms."

"Home, this is home for you?" he bit his lip as his eyes moved over her face.

She nodded, "Home is where you are Lucas. My home has always been wherever you are, I just didn't realize it until I was with you again, falling in love with you all over again. I do Lucas, I love you."

He hesitated for a moment, afraid he was going to wake up before he kissed her. Only her lips were real, as she returned the kiss, her body snaking to hold onto him as he lifted her up, resting her on the kitchen counter top. "You love me?"

"Yeah, you love me?" she blinked afraid this was a dream.

"Yes you silly woman." He cradled her face with the palms of his hand, "I love you Riley, always, forever."

"So just so we're clear, I love you, you love me, and neither of us are with anyone else, right?"

His smile grew as the realization settled on him, "You're with me, and I'm with you. We're together."

"Yeah, we are." She kissed his slowly for a moment, "I knew the moment I saw you again it was always you, and I tried to fight it. But I can't anymore Lucas, I love you, only you. I want to be with you. No one else."

"Good because I'm not letting you go." His thumb ran over her lips swollen from their kisses, "Right now though, I think I should take you up to the bedroom and make love to you."

"I love that idea." She kissed his jawline, "I love the way you touch me, I love the way you look at me when we're together."

"I love the way you react to my touch." He ran his fingers down her neck, "I love that little gasp when I kiss you here."

Riley felt his lips just above her breasts, a small gasp escaping from her lips.

Lucas smiled with satisfaction, "Promise me that you only react like this to me, please."

"I promise Lucas," she let her eyes rollback as his hand slipped under her shirt. "No one else has ever come close to this."

"Good" he growled, feeling a primal control come over him, "No other woman has gotten to me the way you do. Not even close."

She held his face in her hands, staring into his green eyes, "Good, because you are mine. Don't forget that, you saw how I reacted to Dixie."

He lifted her up, throwing her over his shoulder. "You did make a claim on me that day."

Riley gasped when he dropped her onto the bed, had they really made it up the stairs that quickly? "The day by the lake, on our picnic, I knew then I couldn't pretend anymore."

Lucas laid next to her, "So you knew before you went back to New York?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I made sure I brought Dave his ring back with me, I knew no matter happened I was coming back to you. Before I even left here I knew, and then you kissed me, you told me you remembered Las Vegas."

"I do remember it." He ran his hand over the side of her body, "And now knowing that I um, gave you, your first orgasm, your only real orgasms, I feel like it should be my mission to keep them coming."

Riley let her hands move to the button of his jeans, "Only if I get to return the favor." She watched his eyes darken as she freed him, her fingers slowly wrapping around him.

He felt his body quiver as she took control, she was the only woman who could do this to him, the only one he ever wanted to do this to him. "You can do whatever you want to me, whenever." He revealed.

Riley kiss his neck as she pushed his jeans and boxers down with one hand, and continued to stroke him with the other, "That could be a problem, I seem to have trouble not touching you."

"No complaints from me." He bit his lip as his body jerked in response to her. He watched as a grin spread over her lips before she pushed him onto his back, moving between his legs.

She licked her lips, her eyes on him as she leaned down, letting her tongue taste him, slowly moving over before she relaxed and wrapped her lips around him, slowly accepting more of him with each movement she made.

Lucas gripped the bedspread with one hand, while the other was balled into a fist, resisting the urge to hold her hair as the little electric sparks burst through his body as he got swept up in the pleasure, "Ri, baby," he gasped feeling it close.

She continued, not pulling away as she felt his body tense, his breathing short, as he let go.

Riley kissed her way up his chest, unbuttoning his shirt as she went, straddling him as she reached his neck.

"Do you," he smiled, "Do you like doing that?"

"I do, with you." Her hands pushed his shirt open, "I don't feel like I _have_ to do it. I did it because I wanted to."

He ran his hands up her back before rolling so she was under him, "Just like I do this because I want to."

Riley felt him undo her jeans, feeling his fingers pulling them down as he kissed her, moving down to explore her. Her body shook with desire as he moved down her body, feeling the first, slow, exploratory lick of his tongue as the gasp of pleasure escaped.

He smiled into her as he moved forward on his mission. Each flick, each twist of his tongue teasing her, tasting her, feeling her body jolt and jerk as she got closer as he enjoyed her. Feeling the flood released from her as his name was cried into the air.

Slowly he moved over her body, pulling her t-shirt off between kisses as he pulled off her bra. Her body arching into his touch as she trembled with need.

Riley wrapped her legs around him, pulling him to her, "I need you, I want you." Her voice hoarse before kissing him.

Lucas moaned as he entered her. If someone could feel like home it would be Riley for him. Nothing made more sense to him than being with her.

They moved slowly, feeling a new wave of intensity wrap over them. A calmness they hadn't known when things were unsaid, now though with the air cleared the level of intimacy deepened as they were both swept in a wave of pleasure.

Lucas smoothed Riley's hair with his hand, "I love you, I love you, I just want to tell you over and over again."

Her fingers moved over his arms, "I don't mind hearing it over and over again. Only if you don't mind me telling you that I love you."

"I could never get tired of hearing that, of seeing you, being with you, making love to you." He planted kisses randomly around her face and neck.

"Same, and I'm not going anywhere Lucas. I'm here with you, I'm not leaving."

He held her close to him, "I won't let you leave, I would follow after you. If I have to chase after you I will, I will go and throw you over my shoulder and carry you home if I have to."

"Getting all caveman on me?"

"Life without you isn't a life to live, I'm better with you Riley, and I think you're better with me."

She smiled, "I said something like that earlier to Gigi. We're better together."

"Good thing we're together now, huh?"

"Yeah, very good." She moved to kiss him as her stomach growled.

Lucas chuckled, "Let's get some clothes on, go find some food."

"We do have cake." She grabbed his shirt and threw it on.

Lucas grabbed his boxers and pulled them on before he picked Riley up, cradling her in his arms as he carried her downstairs.

"I can walk downstairs Lucas."

"I know, but I like holding you." They stopped near the couch as he let her down, "I'm just beyond excited to know that you love me."

She pushed up on her toes and kissed him, "Always."


	30. -sweet surrender-

_**Author Note: You guys, seriously this chapter would never have been written if not for Amy, because seriously I'd still be on the first scene without her help. I'll be around on tumblr and twitter tonight if you want to ask me anything, yell at me for something, etc.**_

* * *

 **-sweet surrender-**

Lucas kissed the back of Riley's neck as they stood in the kitchen, eating what was left of the cake. She loved him, he loved her. This was real.

His eyes caught the glint of the engagement ring sitting on another part of the counter.

It was almost all real.

Maybe he didn't need to say it, maybe he didn't need to ask.

He watched Riley comfortably move around the kitchen.

She belonged here.

Not the kitchen, but in his life.

"Hey, let's get dressed I want to show you something." He palmed the ring, knowing she had forgotten about it during their declarations, thinking about each other, not a piece of jewelry.

Riley crinkled her nose, "What could you want to show me this time of night that you want me dressed for?"

Lucas groaned at her innuendo. "You're going to have to just wait and find out." He pushed her to move towards the stairs where they went up to the bedroom, each dressing in jeans, t-shirts and hoodies for the night chill. He slipped the ring in his front pocket. Before leaving the bedroom, he grabbed a tie from his closet.

Riley studied him, "This is either going to be fun and kinky or I've misjudged you all my life and I'm about to become the subject of a _48 Hours_ episode."

"Fun for sure, I think." Lucas gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek as he grabbed his car keys and they got in. He turned to her, "Put this on like a blindfold."

Riley took the tie from him, "This feels borderline dangerous." She teased as she put it over her eyes and tied it, "Happy?"

"Very" he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

He drove through the property, towards the lake, the trip taking only a fraction of the time it would on horseback. He parked, set the headlights to illuminate the area in front of them just enough to see. He left the radio playing on the country station.

He got Riley out of the SUV, bringing her to stand in the middle of the open area, "Don't move, I don't want you to get hurt."

"Seriously, _48 Hours_ Lucas," she warned, but she felt safe. She could hear him move over the ground, sure she heard the beep of his video camera app start recording.

As he came back over to her Shania Twain's _You're Still the One_ came over the radio. He smiled as he untied the blindfold. "Riley, this isn't the way I planned this, or dreamed about, but I think this is perfect. We have the stars twinkling above us, blanketing the sky the way they only do here in Texas."

Riley looked up at the sky before she watched Lucas as he moved in front of her. Her stomach flopped, was he doing what she thought he was doing?

Lucas reached in his pocket slipping out the ring before dropping to one knee, "You are still the one for me Riley, it's always been you. Will you please marry me?"

"Yes, of course I will." She felt a surge of energy as he put the ring on her finger. She pulled him up to his feet as she kissed him, "I don't want to wait Lucas, we've waited far too long already."

"Three days if we go to the clerk tomorrow, or we could be married by tomorrow night if we go to Las Vegas."

"Vegas, we'll do Vegas. I don't want to wait to be your wife Lucas. I've been waiting all my life."

"Then we'll go to Vegas tonight." He lifted her off the ground spinning her around before gently setting her on her feet, kissing her slowly before pulling back, "Who do we tell?"

Riley bit her lip, "Zay and Gigi, that's it, just call and get them back here."

Lucas chuckled, "I can do that, I'll call Deacon have him do it all tomorrow."

"I'll book us a chapel." Riley felt her cheeks hurting from smiling so much, "First flight we can all 4 take out."

"You really do want to be Mrs. Friar huh?"

She draped her arms over his shoulders, "I sure do. So, let's go back to the house and book everything we need to."

"Should we call our parents?" He turned the video recording off.

"Only if you want my Father to show up and try to stop the wedding."

"Okay, yeah, we can wait to tell them." He helped her in before going over to his side, his body bubbling over with joy he wasn't sure he would ever feel again.

* * *

Zay rolled his eyes when he saw Lucas calling for the fifth time in as many minutes, "What, I'm at work?"

" _Get home, I need you for something very important buddy."_

Zay handed a drink to Gloria May, shaking his head, "I can't just leave. I'm short staffed right now who would I leave in charge?"

"I could help." Gloria May beamed, "I worked in a bar in college."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really Zay."

He could hear Lucas still begging him on the other end of the phone, "Listen it's easy, just help out the staff. Everything is programmed into the register." He sighed as he could still hear Lucas, talking, "I'm figuring something out man, I swear if you two got stuck in some weird position or something all your kids will need to be named after me."

Gloria May giggled, "Zay, I've got this covered. Go help Lucas, just leave me your keys so we can lock up."

Zay hesitated for half a moment, "Fine, just don't go wild this isn't Puzzles or anything."

"I promise, go help. Call me if you need me to do more." She took the key from him, moving behind the bar.

"You're a life saver, and I'll call when I know what's going on." He grabbed his stuff and turned to his staff, "Gloria May is in charge, but help her out, got it?"

"No problem." They called as he left through the backdoor.

* * *

"Okay, I have the hotel booked for two rooms." Riley looked up from her laptop across the desk to see Lucas on his.

"I have four tickets booked for a flight that leaves in four hours. It was the soonest one we could get."

"Good." She smiled before looking at the screen, "Want to get married in the Grand Canyon?"

"What, don't be silly."

"I'm not." She rotated the screen towards him, "Let's do it."

He took the laptop from her, "Riley this is a little pricy."

"We only get married once Lucas, besides we can afford it."

"We can?" He looked at her like she was crazy/

"Lucas, it's only money, we only get married once." She looked into his green eyes, "Besides I've got millions in the bank from Farkle and Smackle buying me out of my company."

"What?" He wasn't sure what part was more surprising as he was simply trying to take in the information.

She covered his hand with hers as she realized what she'd just revealed, "That emergency in New York, it wasn't a client thing. It was that Smackle and Farkle wanted me out of the company. They gave me this story about how she's going to be nominated for a government position and that the company would have to dissolve, this way I got something out of it, if I got out now."

"They forced you out?" He couldn't help but feel angry.

"Yeah, they did." She sighed, "I've cried enough about it Lucas, but they did give me ten-million dollars."

His jaw dropped, his eyes widened, "What?"

"I know, I mean so like I said we can afford to get married in the Grand Canyon."

He simply nodded, "Anything else you're not telling me?"

She cringed, sucking in a deep breath, "Okay, so, um, I'm the one buying the Carmichael Ranch."

"You're shitting me."

"No, I'm not shitting you, what does that even mean?"

He leaned on the desk, "You're buying the ranch?"

"Yeah as the Maiar Group. I had to find an investment or lose it like all to taxes, and someone had to buy it, and when I saw the property online I had no idea who owned it. That's just a perk."

Nodding Lucas came over to her, "No more secrets, we don't already have a kid you're waiting to introduce me to, do you?"

"Darn it Lucas, fine I'll call and have Joey put on a plane." Her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I'm kidding."

"No more jokes, no more lies." He began to tickle her.

"You marry me, we'll have millions, and a new business." Riley giggled as she studied him, "You okay with that?"

"All I care about is being with you, money be damned."

"Good" Riley pressed her lips to his, "So Grand Canyon?"

"Grand Canyon, do I have to wear a tux?"

"Yeah, and so does Zay." Riley shrugged, "Okay let me book this and then we can go pack some bags."

The front door flew open, they could hear Zay running up the stairs.

"We're in the office Zay!" Lucas called out.

"I am afraid to know what you two need if you're in the office." Zay trotted down the stairs, "First boy Isaiah, first girl Babi."

Riley looked to Lucas confused when Zay came to the door, he froze. "Hi Zay."

"You two aren't stuck in some weird sex position? Why the fuck did you bitches call me away from work?"

Lucas stared at him, "What is it you think we do?"

"I don't know I just hear stuff." Zay sighed, "Okay so why am I here? I had to leave Gloria May in charge."

Riley held up her left hand, "Lucas and I are engaged."

"Yeah, I heard, that's like old news."

"No, we're really engaged." Lucas told his oldest friend as he rose from the desk, "We would like for you to come to Las Vegas with us. I kind of need a best man."

"For real man, you two are doing this like right now?"

"Well, tomorrow we are." Riley took Lucas' hand, "So you coming with us or what?"

"Yeah, of course." He moved to hug them, "I need to text Gloria May, ask her to watch the bar tomorrow as well."

"Hey Zay, it goes without saying, no telling anyone."

"Dude who would I tell?" Zay shook his head, "I'm going to go pack."

Riley watched as he left, "Is Gigi on her way?"

"She should be here soon." Lucas looked out the window, "Oh I see her headlights right now."

They went to the foyer and waited for her. Gigi came in the front door, "What the hell is going on? Deacon said you called and have him handling everything tomorrow at the office. Is someone hurt, are Mom and Dad okay?"

Lucas cupped his little sisters face in his hands, "Gigi, Mom and Dad are fine." He took a nervous breath, "Riley and I are officially engaged, and we're flying out to Las Vegas tonight."

"You're eloping?" her mouth dropped, her eyes filled with sadness, "But you can't just run off and get married."

Riley swatted Lucas' hands away, "Idiot," she looked to Gigi, "I could use a maid of honor, you up for the job?"

"Really? I thought you two were running off to do this without anyone else."

"No, we just think we've waited longer than we've had to, and waiting three days seems silly, when we could be married tomorrow."

"Then I'm in, I'll go pack a bag."

"Okay, hurry, we need to leave in twenty minutes for the airport." Riley called to her as she was already halfway up the stairs.

"We're really doing this huh?"

"Yeah we are." She leaned into him, "Come on, we've got to pack as well. Wedding is booked for the Grand Canyon, they'll pick us up, take us to get the paperwork done, take us to the heli pad, where we take a helicopter ride into the Grand Canyon."

* * *

"The limo arrives at the hotel to take us to the court house at four, we _have_ to be ready to go. That means you two in tuxes, me and Gigi in our dresses." Riley explained while they sat at the gate waiting to board the flight.

"Where are we going to get tuxes?" Zay shook his head.

"You and Lucas will find a place, just like Gigi and I will find a shop for dresses. This is Las Vegas Zay, come on." Riley scrolled through the list she'd made on her phone, "First we go to the courthouse and get the paper works, and then to the venue, where Lucas and I will have a Sunset ceremony."

"What hotel are we staying at?" Gigi looked up from her phone, she couldn't remember a time she had ever seen her brother so happy.

"The Golden Nugget, I booked two rooms. One for me and Lucas, and one for the two of you. Don't worry you've got separate beds." Riley watched the way each of the shifted, reacted, she just wasn't in the mood to deal with their own dramas.

" _Flight 926 to Las Vegas, Nevada is now boarding zone one."_

"Come on guys, let's get going." Lucas rose, stretching his long body, before pulling Riley to him, "Let's go get married."

* * *

They had all fallen asleep on the flight which wasn't full but did have a few other people on it. It was one in the morning local time when they arrived, and after two am once they got into their rooms. Riley and Lucas immediately fell into bed after both setting their alarms for the morning to make sure they had enough time to get everything done that they needed.

Zay and Gigi didn't speak when they arrived in their room, they each took a bed, but throughout the evening both tossed and turned in their own beds keeping the other awake.

The four met for breakfast, downing hot coffee, and making a plan for the morning. Riley took some cash out handing it to Lucas as they leaned in close to each other speaking softly, "This is _our_ money Lucas, don't skimp on the tux, besides, I plan on finding lots of reasons for you to have to wear one."

He chuckled as he stared into her brown eyes, "You sure about this?"

"Positive, besides, get Zay cleaned up. If you don't get him something nice he's going to show up in one of those silkscreened t-shirts with the cartoon tux on it."

"Point taken, meet back here at noon?"

"Yes, Gigi and I are off to find dresses, and this afternoon at one we have appointments to get our hair done."

"You sure you need your hair done?" His fingers lightly moved over her arm.

"Yeah, gotta make sure it still looks amazing after you know" she swirled her fingers around to signal the helicopter.

"Oh yes, point taken." He gave her a kiss on the cheek before turning to his best friend and sister, "Come on Zay we gotta go get cleaned up all nice like, bride's orders."

Zay took one last long sip of his coffee, "We should get those shirts with the printed tux on it. This is Vegas after all."

Lucas slapped his friend on the back as they rose from the table, "I think we're going to go a little more grownup for this one buddy."

"Come on man it's Vegas!" Zay pleaded as they left.

Riley looked over to Gigi, "So how did the whole room sharing thing go last night, you both seem exhausted."

Gigi looked over her coffee, "Whatever you think happened last night, did not. We were each in our own beds. I'm engaged after all."

"Yeah, I was engaged to Dave, didn't stop me from what I feel for Lucas." Riley looked to the younger woman, "But hey, you know your own heart and it belongs to Deacon."

"Exactly, I love Deacon." Gigi took a final sip of her coffee, "come on we've got to find you a dress."

* * *

Riley's hair was pulled into a thick braid, with flowers woven in, her make-up simple and sweet. Her dress a two-piece gown, the top embroidered with silver seed beads in a floral pattern, the skirt a flowing A-line she had quickly hemmed to keep from tripping.

Lucas watched her from the bathroom after he came out while tying his tie. "You look amazing?"

Riley turned as she put on her earrings, a smile crossing her lips as she saw how well his tux fit him, "If we weren't about to meet the limo downstairs, the things I would do to you right now."

He crossed to her, slipping his hands along her waist, "Save it for tonight, our wedding night."

Her breath hitched, "I never thought this day would come, for so long Lucas."

He hugged her from behind, "It's happening Riley, we finally got our heads out of our asses, and in a few hours, we'll be standing in the Grand Canyon saying our vows, exchanging rings, and finally doing what we've both wished for since we were young."

She released a happy sigh, "The limo will be here soon, do you have everything?"

"Sure do, do you?"

Riley slipped into her write sandals, her baby blue toe-nails poking out. "Let's go get married Doc."

* * *

"They realize this is crazy, right?" Zay leaned in close to Gigi, breathing in the floral scent she wore as the stood outside the limo studying the helicopter in front of them.

"I thought this was going to be a cheesy chapel thing, not the Grand Canyon." Gigi shook her head, now she understood why Riley suggested the knee-length dress and her hair in the tight French twist.

He shook his head, "They don't make anything easy, do they?"

"Have they ever?"

Zay chuckled. "Never, haven't you learned that by now?"

Gigi shook her head, "I guess not." She saw Lucas wave them over, "Showtime."

Zay followed behind, trying to ignore his rapid heartbeat whenever she was near.

They all boarded the helicopter along with a photographer and officiant. They were quiet during the flight, Riley and Lucas holding each other's hands tightly throughout. Pointing the different sights to each other and of course to Zay and Gigi.

When the helicopter landed Riley and Gigi went one way, while Lucas, Zay and the officiant went another. The photographer moved between both groups snapping pictures as they prepared for the ceremony.

Once they were set up, the sun starting to set far in the distance as Lucas found his spot overlooking the Colorado River. Gigi pulled up an acoustic guitar version of the wedding march on her phone, letting it play as Riley walked towards Lucas, turning the volume down as Riley reached him before turning the song off.

The officiant, a woman in her late thirties stood to the side as the photographer took video of the ceremony, Riley and Lucas with the picturesque background behind them. "Riley, Lucas, I am honored to be here with you and your friends to witness, celebrate and join you as you start your new lives together. You will soon be building a home together, and some days will be easier than others, may you be blessed with never-ending beautiful moments that you share together for as long as you are together on this earth."

Riley took a deep breath as she held Lucas' hands, "The day we met still plays out in my mind, I can never forget your smile, the way you caught me, when you walked into my Father's classroom I couldn't believe it, I was sure I would never see you again. You became my best friend, but it was always more, you are my other half, and all these years I walked around this world without. Now, I won't have to. The second I laid eyes on you when I stepped out of that car, as much as I fought it, I was complete. I admit that scared me at first, but I'm not scared anymore. I'm sure of us, and the life we'll have. I love you Lucas, and I will always choose you."

Lucas smiled, reaching up to wipe the tears that were rolling down her cheeks as he took a deep breath, "I can't say exactly the moment I fell in love with you, it feels like I always have, and I always will. I didn't always know how to describe my feelings for you, they were raw, real, intense, even when we were young. I know that without you I would never have become the man I am today. Even though we weren't together all that time, you were still with me, and I was still with you. I love you Riley, and I would choose you over and over again until the day I die."

Riley reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes, feeling him take her hand in his before bringing it to his lips.

"Do we have the rings?"

"Yes, we do." Zay handed Lucas a box with two platinum wedding bands.

Riley picked up the ring for Lucas, "Lucas I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I will love you for as long as we're on this earth together, and forever after that. I give you all that I am, and all that I will be. With this ring, I take you as my lawfully wedded husband."

Lucas picked up the ring for Riley taking her hand, "Riley I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I will love you for as long as we're on this earth together, and forever after that. I give you all that I am, and all that I will be. With this ring, I take you as my lawfully wedded wife."

"You have shared hundreds if not thousands of kissing before, but this next one will seal the solemn vows you have just made and the giving and receiving of rings, here in front of God and your friends. I pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss."

Lucas smiled as he looked down at Riley, her brown eyes glossy with happy tears but shining as well. He cradled her face in his hands before he gave her a gentle, loving kiss, as photographs were snapped.

Lucas didn't care about anything else in the world but this moment with Riley. "This was perfect Mrs. Friar."

Riley blushed, "I'm glad you think so husband." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before everything became a whirlwind of photographs, cake, champagne, and bubbles around them before boarding the helicopter to return to Las Vegas.

* * *

"Okay, get her up to bed, she's all giggly." Zay looked at the newlyweds, Riley hanging all over Lucas, planting kisses on his neck.

"Zay," Riley tried to point to him, but her arm waved around from all the champagne she'd had at dinner. "Chase love man, chase love."

"Okay wife, time for bed." Lucas chuckled, "You two, don't get into too much trouble."

Gigi rolled her eyes, "What can I even do?"

"Knowing you, you'll find something. Zay keep an eye on her." Lucas took Riley's hand in his, "We're leaving early in the morning you two, don't be surprised by the early wake up call."

Zay shook his head as they walked away.

Gigi rocked back and forth on her feet, "So, what can we do?"

Zay looked around, "We can see a show, check out Freemont Street they got that great light show on the roof thing," he leaned in close, "If you're nice I'll let you sneak a sip or two from my drink."

Gigi rolled her eyes, "We might as well do something how often does one come to Vegas?"

"Maybe just once, maybe twice." He put his hand on the small of her back, leading her through the casino floor out to Freemont Street.

* * *

Lucas carried Riley into the hotel room, feeling her lips capture his earlobe as she gently suckled on it. He kicked the door closed behind him, before going towards the bed. She released her hold on him before he placed her on the bed before lying next to her.

Riley rolled onto her stomach, her fingers drawing circles over his chest, "So, we did it Lucas."

He smiled as he watched her fingers, "We sure did, husband and wife."

"Think we can keep it secret until Thanksgiving?"

He chuckled, "You don't want to announce it at the bake-off?"

She smirked, "No, I was thinking we could get both sets of parents down here, play the wedding video and that's how we tell them."

He pulled her close to him, "Your Dad is going to kill me."

"Why are you so afraid of my Dad, my Mom is the scary one."

"Oh, I know," Lucas flashed back to that awful time in high school when he was being forced to make a choice, "Yeah, I've run away from both your parents."

Riley stopped what she was doing and sat up, "When did you run away from my Mom?"

Lucas took her hand, looking at the rings on her finger, "The night I came to tell you I made a decision, and sat in your window for hours. Before I was sitting in the window, I talked to your Mom and Maya's. Topanga said something and I had this flash of family holidays for the rest of my life and ran out of the room."

Riley pushed herself up on her feet, bouncing with the mattress, "Well you Dr. Friar put a ring on it, so you better get ready for family holidays that include Cory and Topanga."

Lucas got to his feet, "As long as I'm with you that's all I care about Mrs. Friar."

"I do like that better than Matthews-Friar, that's just far too long." Riley started to bounce just a little on the bed.

Lucas followed her lead, "Riley Friar, I really love the sound of that."

"Yeah?" She started to bounce more forcefully, making a real move to jump on the bed.

Lucas jumped as well, "Dr. Lucas Friar and Mrs. Riley Friar."

Riley giggled as she continued to jump, "Soon to be Mayor Friar."

Lucas stopped jumping, pulling her to him the first chance he got, "You really think I'm going to win?"

"Yeah, I do, we ramp things up soon, speeches, events, cocktail parties at the house, I hope Deacon can handle the clinic a bit more on his own, more than a day and a half. Because come November you'll be the Mayor. I've talked to the people, and the people I haven't talked to have talked to Gloria May, they like you, they trust you, half of them wish you could be their doctor, not just for their dog or cow or horses. You are going to do so much good for the people of Rosewood Springs."

He smoothed his hands over the sides of her face, "You will to, you know, with this new resort, all those jobs you'll be creating, no matter what happens, I know that our home, will be thriving."

"Thank you for believing in me." She kissed him slowly, pulling him down onto the bed with her, "Now let's take the last step to make this marriage legal."

He smirked as he looked down at her, "Well if you insist."

"I do" she kissed him again, her fingers slowly working to undo the buttons of his shirt.

Lucas reached around her back to undo her top, slowly pulling it off as he kissed the newly exposed skin, as he moved to remove her skirt while she worked trying to get him out of his pants.

Riley watched as he pulled away from her, pulling his clothes off. She got up, jumping into his arms, wrapping her legs around him as he moved them back to the bed, his hands moving over her body.

Riley felt her body flutter at each touch, every kiss they exchanged as whatever was left between them fell away and they slowly made love.

* * *

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." Gigi breathed as Zay kissed his way along her neck, her back pressed against the wall of the elevator before it dinged for their floor.

"Yeah exactly." He took her hand, leading her into the hallway as they found their room.

Gigi pressed him up against the door, kissing him for a long moment, "I mean the best man, maid of honor they hook up all the time at weddings, that's all this is."

"Yeah, exactly, it's just Vegas craziness." He gasped when he realized her hand had slipped into his pants, he closed his eyes as he tried to unlock the door without looking, finally getting it as they tumbled into the room.

The door slammed shut and half a second later Gigi found herself pressed against it as Zay unzipped her dress. His hands running over her back as his lips kissed the back of her neck.

She kept her eyes shut, this had to be a dream this couldn't be real She was enjoying the sensation as she felt the clasp of her bra release a moment before he stepped back.

 _Not again, please God not again_.

She turned around, sure she would see Zay panicking, afraid, instead she saw him removing his tie and unbuttoning his shirt. Gigi took a deep breath as pulled her dress off along with her bra, shimming the dress to the floor, standing in front of him now in her panties and high heels.

Zay stepped to her his hands sliding over her hips and up to her breasts. He kissed her, feeling an unexpected wave of need and desire sweep through him as he moved her towards the closest bed. He lowered himself to his knees, his fingers wrapping around the elastic of her panties to pull them down watching as she carefully stepped out of them.

Gigi felt her body prickle with goosebumps as his hands slowly moved his hands over her legs, and his lips trailed kisses to her core.

She went weak with pleasure as she felt his tongue exploring her, she couldn't hold herself up as she fell back on the bed.

Zay continued what he was doing, feeling her body dance with pleasure as her voice gasped his name. He pulled away from her, undoing his pants, pulling them down with his boxers. He watched Gigi as she came down from the high of what had just happened as he went and pulled a condom from his toiletry bag.

Gigi gave him a nod to continue, watching as he opened the package and slipped the condom on, stroking himself.

He watched as she sat up, leaning on her lower arms arching herself towards him as he crawled over her.

"Do you want this?"

"Yes" She reached her hand up behind his head, pulling him towards her for a deep, urgent, kiss.

He felt her legs spread for him to settle over her before he guided himself into her. Feeling the warmth of her body accepting him slowly, as he made sure he wasn't hurting her, he didn't know how much experience she'd really had up until now.

She couldn't remember ever feeling as filled as she was right now. Was it possible to never understand what you were craving until the moment you had it? That's what Gigi felt as she reacted to every touch, every movement he made bringing them together.

Zay felt her hands explore his chest and back as they moved together. He held on as long as he could, holding her close, kissing her neck as he climaxed, realizing only after that she had as well.

He kissed down her body, nuzzling her breasts, afraid, worried about what would happen next.

Gigi pulled him back up, kissing him, rolling him beneath her, "Do you have another condom?"

He shook his head, "No, I just had one."

"Just a second." She got off the bed, going to her bag, digging through her stuff before finding her purse and pulling out a box of condoms, "Got one."

He sat up, feeling her pull the used condom off of him and tying it off before tossing it in the trashcan, "You sure you want more of me?"

She let her fingers glide over him, biting her lip as she could feel her arousing him again, "Tonight your mine, I'm yours. We leave Vegas and it never happened."

"Is that what you really want?" He put a finger under her chin forcing her to look in his eyes.

"Yes" She told him, just as she wrapped her fingers around him, "Now lay back and enjoy."

* * *

Gigi got out of the shower, wrapping the hotel towel around her body as she combed out her hair. She blew dried her hair, it was early they hadn't gotten a wake-up call yet, but she had this fear knotting in her stomach that what happened would be discovered.

She dressed in a pair of jeans, tank top, and a denim jacket before going back into the room, finding Zay still asleep as she cleaned up her things, putting them away in her suitcase, taking out what she needed.

After she had her stuff set, she went over and woke him, "Zay, get up, you still need to pack."

He groaned before smiling at her, before remembering it was a Vegas only kind of thing. "Did we get the wake-up call?"

"Not yet, but it should be soon. We've got to meet Riley and Lucas soon, you should probably grab a quick shower and then come and pack up your stuff."

He nodded as he got out of the bed, forgetting he was naked.

Gigi turned away to put something in her bag, "Hurry up Zay, I don't want us to miss our flight."

"Yeah," He realized they weren't going to talk about what had happened. As he stood under the shower spray he wondered if this was really it.

Once he got done, he dressed and quickly packed just as the wake-up call came. He and Gigi checked the room again before going to meet Riley and Lucas downstairs for breakfast.

"You two have fun last night?" Lucas stood up from the table he and Riley had gotten for them.

"It was okay." Gigi told him, "I'm too young to get into too much trouble here. We caught a few light shows, did the zipline, nothing crazy."

"Well that sounds like fun." Lucas took a sip of his coffee, "I'm glad the two of you came with us, I really don't think there is anyone else we would or could trust with this."

Zay sighed, "You're keeping the marriage a secret, aren't you?"

"Only until Thanksgiving." Riley sat down at the table, "We don't want to upset either set of parents by telling one before the other, or anyone else. Well invite them both to the ranch for the holiday, and after dinner we'll play the wedding video, and we'll do a social media, email blast the day after."

Gigi rolled her eyes, "Whatever," she turned to Zay, "$20 says she spills it the next time Dixie pisses her off, so tomorrow."

Zay chuckled, "Nope, Lucas is going to be the one to break."

"Eat up" Lucas glared at them, "We've got to leave soon."

"Whatever you say big brother." Gigi picked up the menu, trying to ignore the desire to let her fingers trace over Zay's leg.

* * *

When they got back to the ranch Lucas lifted Riley in his arms before she could go into the house. "What are you doing?" She hooked her arms around his neck.

"Carrying you over the threshold." He opened the door and carried her in before setting her down.

"You two are cheesy!" Zay called out as he grabbed his bag from the car, "I should just tell Maya what you did."

"Don't you dare Zay!" Riley warned keeping her gaze on Lucas before sighing, "I hate that you've still got to go to work today."

"I know, but it's weird I took a day off in the middle of the week." He sighed as he looked down at his wedding band, "I don't want to take this off."

Riley looked down at her own ring, "Do we have to take them off?"

"Well sort of." He took her into his office, opening a drawer and pulling out a spool of silk cord, "Here, you can wear them around your neck until Thanksgiving."

Riley bit her lip, "You sure?"

"Yeah, besides," he kissed her forehead before measuring the cord, "I know they'll be safe with you."

"As long as they don't fall in the cake batter again."

He chuckled as he slipped his ring on the cord and then as Riley slipped hers. He tied a tight knot before putting it over her head, "Perfect length to be near your heart, but hidden from nosy people."

"Perfect, I guess I should let you get to work, but I can't wait to welcome you home my wonderful husband."

"Well I can promise I can't wait to come home to you my amazing wife." He gave her a long, promising kiss before he grabbed what he needed for work, "I'll be home around six."

"Good I'll have dinner ready, like a good Texas Wife." She teased, "Now get going, you have stuff to catch up on."

"Yes Mrs. Friar" Lucas gave her another kiss on the forehead before he left.

Riley caught Zay as he was leaving, "You rushing off to work as well?"

"Yeah, I left Gloria May in charge, I have no idea if the bar is even still standing."

"I'm sure it's fine Zay, don't worry." She caught a change in his expression, "I'm sorry that nothing happened between you and Gigi."

"You know, whatever is meant to be, is going to be, and we're not." He shrugged, "I'll see you tomorrow, have fun, _Mrs._ Friar."

Riley pushed him out before grabbing her and Lucas' bags, bringing them upstairs, she unpacked, hanging his tux and her dress up, making a note in her phone to take them to a dry cleaner in Austin.

"Hey Riley, I'll see you later. I gotta go meet up with Deacon." Gigi popped her head into the bedroom.

"Everything okay?"

"Oh yeah, I just miss him. He texted that he has a surprise for me."

"Well, have fun, don't forget you're going with me tomorrow for the closing."

"Oh, I won't forget that, I still can't wait to see Dixie's face when she finds out it's you."

"Well, she'll just have to grow up and deal with it."

Gigi laughed, "That will be the day. See ya later Riley."

* * *

Zay walked into the bar, thankful to see it still standing as he went to the office and found Gloria May behind the desk, "Making yourself comfortable huh?"

"Hey, you're back, what's going on?" She looked up from the papers she was going over.

"Oh, just some stuff at the ranch, nothing gossip worthy I promise." He leaned against the desk, "Nice to see the place still standing, wait did you clean my office?"

Gloria May smiled, "I couldn't find the credit card tape last night to replace it after we closed. I came in this morning to straighten up. Is that okay?"

"That's awesome, I never seem to have the time or focus, so thanks."

"No problem." Gloria May rose from the desk, "So, I was just filing stuff mostly, and making a pile of bills and invoices for you to go through."

"Great, you're a lifesaver Glory."

She smiled, "No one has called me Glory in years."

"Oh, come on, someone must've."

"No, actually, the only one, who has in any amount of time since college is you." She looked away from him, "So um, who lives upstairs?"

"Oh, um that's technically my place. But I only use it on nights when it's too late to drive back to the ranch…"

"Or when you're hooking up?"

"It's been a while since I've done that Glory." He shook his head, trying not to think about Gigi less then twenty-four hours ago.

She sat on the desk as she studied him, "That's a shame Zay."

"Are you hitting on me Glory?" He leaned in close to her, watching the way she shivered at his voice.

"I'm trying, am I that out of practice?"

"You know, I'm probably going to need to be spending more time at the apartment with Riley and Lucas engaged ya know. Want to tell me what I need to make this apartment nice and homey?"

"I'm sure, I'll have an idea or two once I see the space." She licked her lips, "What are we waiting for?"

He chuckled, "Nothing at all, come on up." He took her hand, leading her to the door that led upstairs, following behind her as she went up to the apartment. It was the entire floor of the bar, below.

"Is it loud when you're busy downstairs?" She took slow, deliberate steps around the loft.

"If you want to sleep, probably." He studied her body language as she stopped at the foot of his bed.

"And if say you're fucking my brains out?" She slipped her shoes off as she unbuttoned her shirt and dropped it to the floor.

He stepped towards her, "Well, if you mean you want me to make you scream repeatedly you might want that hidden by the sounds of the music and drinker's downstairs."

Gloria May gasped as his hands landed on her waist, "What if I can't wait until tonight, and I want you now?"

"Then just ask me."

"Please Zay, fuck me."

He kissed her as she wrapped herself around him, before falling onto the bed.


	31. -need you now-

_**Author Note: Sorry these are taking so long to get out.**_

* * *

 **-need you now-**

Lucas reached over in bed expecting to be able to pull his wife to him, instead he found just a pillow. He opened his eyes, looking around the still dark room. He tried to listen for any sound but heard nothing from the bathroom. He checked the time on his phone, five-thirty.

Where was Riley?

He pushed himself out of bed, grabbing a t-shirt from the floor as he went into the hall. Gigi and Zay's doors were both wide open, meaning neither had slept at home. Lucas tried to ignore the thought of what his baby sister could be doing with Deacon as he went down the stairs.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs he could hear the overly perky voice of a morning news anchor coming from the kitchen. He rubbed his eyes as he went through the living room and stopped at the entry way, watching Riley at the kitchen island in nothing but a tank top and panties, she jumped when the oven pre-heat alarm went off.

He chuckled and got her attention. "Staring Doc?"

"Just watching my wife, doing, what are you doing?"

"I have a bake-off to win tonight." She looked up and smiled, "Did you need something?"

He crossed to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind, "I was hoping that I could make love to my wife this morning."

Riley giggled as she poured in the cherry pie mix to her batter, "Well give me a few minutes and I think we can figure something out."

He kissed the spot behind her ear, smiling when he heard her moan.

"Lucas come on, I have to win this. I have to prove myself to the people of this town, that I can bake, that I can be a good wife to you."

"You are a good wife." He let his hand slide along her hip.

"Lucas, I'm serious." She pulled away from him, "I'm from New York, and yes I've made some friends like Gloria May, but a lot of women still see me as that Yankee Bitch that stole the most eligible bachelor in the county."

"Riley, the only person I've heard say anything like that is Dixie."

"Dixie isn't the only one thinking it Lucas and you know it." She grabbed the bag of pecans, opening them before dumping them onto the cutting board and grabbing a knife to start chopping them.

Lucas moved towards the coffee maker, "Okay, tell me something, how is winning the bake-off going to show that you're one of them?"

Riley focused on chopping the pecans for a moment before she looked to her husband, "They think I don't know how to do _wife_ things. They think I don't know how to cook, how to bake, how to keep house, they think I'm some spoiled princess with a trust fund."

Lucas took the knife from her hand, tilted her face to look at him, "Riley you are an amazing cook, your baking is to die for. If you weren't doing the resort I would say open a bakery, fuck open one anyways. As for keeping house, I don't think my clothes have ever been as clean as they are these days, and you're not a spoiled princess with a trust fund. You are a woman who started a successful company, and yeah you got bought out of it, but now you can do whatever you want."

Riley took the knife from the counter, "Right now I want to make this cake, I need to at the very least place higher than Dixie."

"You will Ri," He followed behind her around the island, "You belong here, with me, please don't think otherwise because some cranky women think you stole me from them. I was never theirs to have, I've always been yours."

She looked up, "Keep talking like that and I'm never going to get these cakes in the oven."

Lucas smiled, "I'm going to have to build a stronger island, aren't I?"

She sucked in her smile, "Probably."

He watched as she took the chopped nuts and dropped them into the batter mix, "I probably need to get some _hard_ wood, make sure it's nice and sturdy."

Riley couldn't help but giggle. "Let me get these in the oven, the timer set, and then we can see how sturdy this island is, if you want."

He released a heavy breath, "You're just so damn tempting."

She got the batter in the cake pans, ignoring her husband for a moment as she got them in the oven, the timer set, when she turned to see him quickly cleaning off the island top before he grabbed his wife and lifted her up on it.

"Lucas Friar, what do you think you're doing?"

"Acting like the newlyweds we are." He kissed her, his hands already pulling her panties away, as she moved to the edge of the island.

Riley held onto Lucas as he lifted her up just as much as he needed, she felt her panties drop to her ankles before they were pulled off her feet. His mouth devouring her neck as one hand slid between her legs.

"Why Mrs. Friar, your wet."

She pulled him closer to her, "You act surprised." She closed her eyes, "But that's just what happens when you're around."

"Only when I'm around?" He felt her hands pulling on the elastic of his boxer-briefs.

"Only you." She let her fingers wrap around his hard shaft.

"Only you." He moaned as she touched him, guiding him.

"Mmm" she moaned as he filled her.

Slowly they moved together, clinging to each other as gasps and groans filled the kitchen over the sound of the morning news.

Riley cried out as the wave of pleasure crashed over her body, feeling Lucas's crashing over his own a moment later. She stared at him, planting quick kisses over his jawline, "Good thing no one else was home."

"I should kick them out so I can make love to my wife whenever, wherever we want." He sighed.

She let her fingers play with the hair at the nape of his neck, "I have a feeling they'll move out on their own soon."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, they'll get sick of us lovey, dovey, horny, newlyweds sooner or later." She sighed as he backed away and helped her down from the island.

"It could be sturdier." Lucas looked at the island while Riley grabbed her panties from the floor.

Riley turned to her husband, "You know we could just do it in bedroom."

"What's the fun in that?"

"I guess I'll have to remind you tonight, after the bake-off."

Lucas pouted, "I have to wait until tonight?"

"Yes, we both have to get ready for the day, you have house calls to make, I have to close on a ranch, I have to decorate this cake for the bake-off."

"Which you will win, trust me. Your cake will knock their socks off."

"You are blinded by love. Go shower, get dressed, I'll have breakfast ready when you come down."

"Fine, I would much rather shower with you." He tried to pull her with him.

"Lucas, go, shower, get clean. We'll have a shower together tonight, I promise."

"Fine, I'll go." He backed away, watching his wife shooing him out of the kitchen and he couldn't be happier.

* * *

Gigi felt Deacon pull her closer to him, the warmth of his body against hers, the strength of his arms wrapped around her, the softness of his breath against her neck. It was comforting, satisfying, but something didn't feel right.

When she'd arrived the night before she'd had no idea that she would find flowers, candles, and a dream like proposal. Yes, they were already engaged, but Deacon had wanted to do it right.

He'd basically turned his backyard into the set of the Bachelor, roses everywhere, and a new diamond ring that now rested on Gigi's left hand.

"Morning." She sighed as he nuzzled her neck.

"What are your plans for today?"

"Helping Riley with some stuff, I'm working for her now."

Deacon kissed the back of her neck, "What does she even do?"

Gigi paused for a moment, "She has a company, she does a lot of different things."

"That's vague."

"She's transitioning between projects right now." It wasn't a lie, "And I'm helping her with the newest one."

Deacon sat up, rubbing his eyes, "She's a mystery that one, what's her deal, her and your brother, what's that story?"

"High School Sweethearts."

"I thought he and Dixie dated in high school."

Gigi laughed, "Only in her delusional mind." She rolled over to look at her fiancé, "Riley and Lucas met his first day of school in New York, and she was it for him. He saw her and cupid struck. Or so the story goes."

Deacon pushed a lock of hair away from her eyes, "Not a fan of Dixie huh?"

"She's been chasing after Lucas since we moved back to Texas, he's never given her more than a polite smile. It's sad when someone can't see that the person they're chasing doesn't want them. You have to let go, and if you can, maybe you get lucky and fall into the arms of the perfect person for you."

"Were you chasing someone before we started dating?"

"If I was all it did was give me the chance to fall into you."

* * *

Riley looked at the keys in her hand as she left the realtors office. It was done. She now owned what everyone knew as the Carmichael ranch. The name would be changed soon enough.

Gigi was waiting for her, "So it's all official?"

Riley dangled the keys, "Yup sure is. They moved out yesterday, word is Dixie is staying with her Uncle until she can figure things out."

"Awesome, what's your first order of business?"

Riley led her out to the car, "Cleaning crew comes tomorrow, anything they left behind is out."

"Good, that place is beyond out of date."

"And that is why you are going to help me create the fresh look, a new feel, a whole new experience."

"I'll do whatever I can." Gigi followed behind.

"Great" Riley stopped and turned to her sister-in-law, "Are you happy?"

"Yeah, I am." Gigi bit the inside of her cheek, "I graduate in December, Deacon and I are engaged, why wouldn't I be?"

"Those questions you asked me the other day," Riley lowered her voice even though they were both seated in the car now, "about orgasms, and the differences."

Gigi nodded, "Riley, trust me Deacon gets me there." She tried to ignore the memory of Zay's touch as it played in her mind. "Anyways, I was just curious, because my past boyfriends, hadn't been able to do what Deacon does."

"Okay, as long as you're sure your happy."

"I am." Gigi looked down at the ring on her finger, "I guess I have to tell Lucas now, don't I?"

"Yeah, you are." Riley started the car, pulling out of the lot for the drive back to Rosewood Springs.

* * *

Gigi had just dropped Riley off at the ranch where she changed, and grabbed all her old work stuff. She took a deep breath as she walked into The Wild Z, it was still early afternoon. Gigi stopped when she saw that Zay wasn't working the bar, "Where is he?"

"He was in the office last I knew, Gloria May was helping him with something." He shrugged as he went back to getting stocked for what was expected to be a busy evening, especially once the bake-off was over.

She went back to the office, the door open, just a little and she was amazed at how clean and organized it was. How was this the same room she had her first real orgasm in just days before, had that only been a few days ago? It felt like a lifetime. "Zay where are you? I want to get my last check."

Gigi held the shirts to her chest when she heard the footsteps above her. The apartment, of course I bet that's where most of the mess was now hidden. She opened the doors leading up to the stairs, climbing them quickly, "Hey Zay" She called out.

She looked around, the apartment clean, smelling like fresh flowers and fresh coffee. She heard the door from the bedroom open, she turned around. Zay came out zipping up his jeans, a Wild Z t-shirt in his hands. "Hey Gigi, what's up?"

"I um, I brought these back, I um, I came for my last check."

"Oh yeah, follow me." He went to the stairs, but he knew she was looking at the door.

She followed him down the stairs, closing and locking the office door behind her once they were alone, "Who is she?"

"It's none of your business Gigi." He handed her the check, seeing the diamond ring on her finger, "Just like that is none of mine."

"Bullshit." She countered, "Are you telling me what happened in Vegas meant nothing to you?"

He wished it didn't have to be this way. "What happened in Vegas stays in Vegas, remember."

She grabbed his wrist, feeling a fire spark as he looked at her, "And what about just a few days ago in this room. Did that mean nothing?"

He gulped, removing her fingers from his wrist one at a time, "Go fuck Deacon, and I'll go back upstairs and get back to fucking Gloria May."

Gigi's mouth hung open, tears burning her eyes, "Gloria May?"

"Yeah, go run along to Deacon." He released a shaky breath, "Anything physical between you and me Gigi was a mistake."

"No" Gigi looked at him, "I felt the way you touched me Zay, I felt the way you reacted when I touched you. I know what you sounded like, climaxing, breathing my name, I know that you needed me, that you wanted me, and you still do."

He braced himself, knowing this was going to be hard. "I got what I wanted Gigi. I fucked you, you blew me. I'm on to the next conquest."

The palm of her hand contacted his cheek as a loud clap resounded through the room. "Fuck you Zay."

He rubbed his sore face, "You already did Gigi."

She unlocked the door and rushed out, hiding her tears. She had misread everything with him, hadn't she? Thank God, she hadn't let Deacon slip away.

Zay waited a minute before he went back upstairs. He sat down on the bed, shaking his head.

"She's in love with you." Gloria May moved next to him, "Are you in love with her?"

"No" he lied, "But hopefully now she'll get over this silly school girl crush she has on me."

"Did you fuck her?"

He looked to Gloria May, "No."

"Good." She leaned close to him, "I want to be the only one you do."

"You are, I promise."

* * *

As soon as Riley got home she finished decorating the cake, she got changed into a much more comfortable outfit than the suit she'd worn to the closing.

She was setting the cake up in the carrier when Gigi came down, fresh from the shower and changed into a sundress. "Riley, let me drive you."

"Are you okay, I thought you went out earlier?"

"I just went to get my last paycheck from Zay." Gigi felt her body stiffen, she'd cried in the shower. He'd used her, how had she been so stupid?

"I didn't even realize you'd gotten back, sorry."

"It's okay, you were in the zone, decorating. It looks amazing."

"Thanks, I just hope it impresses the judges." Riley sighed, "I know it seems silly, but I need to win this, I need to prove to people that I belong here."

"You do belong Riley, come on, sure this town might have a few catty bitches like Dixie, but I think most people like you."

"I just don't want to be something that leads to Lucas being unhappy here."

"My brother has never been happier than he is with you, Riley you and he just got married. Trust me, it's okay. At the end of the day it doesn't matter what other people think about you and Lucas, only that you and he are happy together."

Riley sighed, "I think part of me is still that scared little girl in the eighth grade, afraid that other people don't think that I'm the right one for Lucas, even when I know in my heart I am, I know my soul."

"Lucas being with you, starting to settle down, it's done good. Plus, it helps to show just how ridiculous Dixie has been all this time."

"What if I'm the worst wife possible for Lucas?"

"That is impossible, you're psyching yourself out." Gigi grabbed her purse and keys, "Get the damn cake, you've got a bake-off to win."

* * *

"Well Camilla, are you ready to judge this year's entries?" Mrs. Miller walked into the school gymnasium looking at the different tables set up.

Camilla sighed as she looked around, "As ready as can be."

"Ladies, you both look lovely this afternoon." Mayor Harris came up to them, dropping an arm around each, "You ready to help declare this year's bake-off winner? I'm craving some carrot cake."

Mrs. Miller rolled her eyes as she looked over to Camilla, they knew what he was trying to do. "If we find one that isn't dry, and the frosting isn't so sweet it makes my teeth hurt, it would be nice."

"Now, now Mrs. Miller, you know that in this room is a prize-winning carrot cake." Mayor Harris just happened to motion towards where Dixie was setting up.

Camilla rubbed her hands together, "It's lucky for us, that you are not judging this year. I can't wait to vote for Dr. Friar in November."

"Now, now Camilla, what makes you think he would be a better Mayor then me?" Mayor Harris leaned in too close.

"Attitude, family, his choice in women." Mrs. Miller answered, "His business practices, he's on the up and up and so is his future bride."

Mayor Harris scoffed, "Please, she's what, some trust fund kid from the big city, has probably never actually worked in her life."

"And what exactly has Dixie ever done?" Camilla raised an eyebrow as she studied the Mayor, if she had it her way it would be a landslide for the young veterinarian to win. "What is she going to do now that the ranch sold? Where is she staying?"

"She's staying with me, family takes care of family." He huffed, "Dixie works hard."

"I'm too much of a lady, to actually say what I've been told she works hard at, but I can tell you it's never been a paying job." Camilla patted his shoulder, "Now if you'll excuse us, we have baked goods to judge."

"Remember ladies, you can't go wrong with carrot cake!"

Mrs. Miller turned to him, "Oh if only that were true, but you can, you can go oh so very wrong with carrot cake. Take a seat Harris, maybe get your head out of your ass for once!"

Camilla grabbed her by the arm towards the stage, "I cannot believe you just said that to him."

"Oh, I've been holding that back for what a good thirty years? It was bound to slip out sooner or later." She chuckled, "I won't lie, you know that child made her awful carrot cake again."

"She always does, she has since she started entering this thing, when was that?"

Mrs. Miller looked over to Camilla, "You and I both know she started entering this thing the year Lucas Friar moved back. It's part of her twisted plan to win him."

Camilla shook her head, "That poor child, that boy has been waiting for Riley to come back into his life all this time."

"He certainly has." Mrs. Miller sat down at the judges table, along with Camilla, and Victor Brady the president of the bank.

* * *

"This looks amazing." Lucas came up behind Riley, his eyes on the cake she'd set-up, "Totally the cake we should have at our wedding reception."

She turned to him, "Excuse me?"

"This looks like a wedding cake, only with chocolate frosting." He leaned in to give her a kiss, "You know we'll have to have a party to celebrate with everyone."

She nodded, "Sorry, I'm nervous, spacy, I think, I don't know. What if I'm not as good as you think I am."

"You are." He reminded her.

"Where did you buy that?" Dixie's voice hit Riley's ears in a way that made her entire body cringe.

"I baked this."

"Oh please, this looks like you bought it in Austin." Dixie crossed her arms over her chest.

Riley looked over to Dixie's cake, it looked okay, very much homemade, but nothing special. Just plain white frosting covering it. "Well I'll take that as a compliment. I just had a vision for my cake and went with it."

Lucas' looked around seeing Zay, "I'll be back, good luck Riley."

"You're not wishing me luck?" Dixie pouted.

Lucas ignored her as he walked away.

Riley tried to ignore the feel of Dixie watching her as she finished setting up.

The judging began, the trio came around to each table taking notes on appearance before each trying a piece of the desserts, and drinking water between each one.

As they moved away from Riley and Dixie, she felt a chill, causing her to look over and see Dixie standing next to her, "I see he gave you a ring to wear. It's such a shame that's the same one he tried to propose to me with on Prom night."

Riley clapped her hands together as she slowly turned to Dixie, "I am really starting to think you need to see someone for these delusions."

"Excuse me?"

"Dixie, we all know that Lucas and you have never been anything. He never proposed to you, and he sure as fuck didn't with this ring."

"He's had that ring since high school, who else would it be for?"

Riley smiled, "Lucas bought this ring to propose to me in high school."

Dixie put a hand on Riley's shoulder, "Oh you silly little city girl, Lucas bought that ring just before Prom, he knew how much I love white gold."

Riley pulled Dixie's hand off her and leaned in close, "This ring is platinum, he bought it months before Prom, and its engraved with a phrase very meaningful to me and Lucas. I know the game you're attempting to play Dixie. Game over country girl."

Dixie was fuming as Riley walked away from her. She would have the last laugh though, in a few minutes she would once again be declared the winner of the bake-off, sure her Uncle wasn't judging this year, but everyone loved her carrot cake, and really who would want the obviously store-bought crap that Riley baked, or any of the other boring desserts up against her.

* * *

"Hey, they announce the winner yet?" Gigi had just returned with Deacon, holding his hand with her left one, to hide the ring.

"Not yet, they should soon. They're calculating everything now." Lucas was nervous, what if Riley lost. She would be crushed, and sure that she wasn't meant to be his wife. "Fuck."

"What is it?" Deacon tried to follow his bosses line of sight, "Oh they do not get along, do they?"

"Nope, they sure don't." Lucas sighed as he watched Dixie trying something, "Whatever she's up to, thankfully Riley isn't falling for her bullshit."

"Um, Lucas, do we have money for bail if needed?" Gigi looked at her big brother.

He chuckled, "Yes, we do, we won't need it, but we do."

"Good" Gigi looked around, "By the way, Deacon and I are engaged."

Lucas' head snapped towards his baby sister, "What?"

"I want to marry your sister," Deacon looked at Lucas, "I want us to have a family together, be together forever."

Lucas felt a knot in his stomach, he couldn't help but glance towards Zay who was quiet, "If this is what you honestly want Gigi, then I'm happy for you."

"It is." She could feel Zay's eyes on her as she leaned into Deacon. "We're thinking maybe New Year's."

"I think that will be good." Lucas smiled as he heard the feedback of the microphone.

Victor Brady stood at the microphone at one end of the gym, all eyes fell on him. "Thank you everyone, we had many wonderful entries this year. One entry stood out above the others."

Dixie smirked as she fluffed her blond curls.

Riley bit her lip, butterflies swirling inside her.

"The winner of this year's Rosewood Springs Annual Bake-Off, is Riley Matthews!"

Lucas cheered for his wife as he watched her start up to the microphone to receive her plaque and prize. Pictures were quickly snapped for the paper before she went back to her table.

"You cheating whore, you bought this at a bakery in Austin, you so didn't bake this." Dixie glared at Riley.

"I made it from scratch Dixie." Riley rolled her eyes.

Dixie picked up a slice of her carrot cake, "You New York Bitch!"

Riley could feel the cake and frosting smashed against her face. She slowly wiped it away before she looked to Dixie, "That is one dry carrot cake, no wonder you lost."

Dixie took a step towards Riley, not realizing that she had picked up a slice of the prize-winning cake and dumped it on her head. "Who the hell do you think you are?" her voice bounced all over the gym.

"I'm someone sick and tired of your shit." Riley flung the grainy frosting from her fingers as she watched Dixie moving towards her again. She picked up a larger piece of cake, "Lucas doesn't want you Dixie, if he wanted you, he would've had you, years ago. Move on you desperate bitch. Stop trying to make digs at me."

"You'll never survive here." Dixie laughed, "I'll make sure of it."

"What are you going to do Dixie? Beat me at the bake-off, oops, I did that." Riley balanced the paper plate on her finger tips.

Dixie took a handful of cake and threw it at Riley, "Oh you think I can't make your life a living hell, but I can. I'm a Carmichael, my Uncle is the Mayor."

Riley shoved the cake in Dixie's face and stepped back, "He's the mayor for now, he won't be for long. And what does a Carmichael do for you Dixie?"

"We own the guest ranch." Dixie gloated.

Riley took a step towards her, "Dixie, I'm The Maiar Group, I own the guest ranch as of noon today." She backed away with a smile on her face, "Game over."

Dixie went to lung for Riley when she was grabbed by Dylan and Victor. Lucas and Zay were holding Riley back.

"This New York Bitch is going to ruin our town." Dixie cried, "She's going to destroy us all."

"Dixie" Mayor Harris looked to his niece, "Go back to the house, get cleaned up. Leave Lucas and his fiancé alone. You're making a fool of yourself."

Riley felt Lucas and Zay release her, she ran her hands to her hair, finding cake and frosting all over it. Tears burning her eyes. She reacted, she never should've let Dixie get to her, but she did.

If this cost Lucas the election she was never going to be able to live with herself.

"Hey, Gigi will you get Riley's stuff for her. I'm going to get her home, get her cleaned up."

"Yeah no problem." She watched as her brother led his wife out of the gym, but she could tell that Riley was upset.

"You're right, Dixie is delusional." Deacon helped Gigi gather Riley's stuff.

"Yeah, Lucas told her if she came on the property again she'd be arrested." Gigi sighed, "This is going to eat away at Riley."

"What do you mean she held her own against Dixie." Deacon looked around at the mess that had been made.

Gigi took what was left of the cake and put it in the carrier, "She's afraid, that people will think she's some stuck up New York woman, who stole Lucas, that she doesn't belong. Dixie sure does her best to make it seem like that's possible."

Deacon was silent as they cleaned off the table, "Lucas is going to be Mayor, everyone likes him. People like Riley, yeah she's a bit mysterious to some, but those are the people who only listen to the gossip on Sunday's."

Gigi shook her head and smiled, "Hopefully this blows over, I do know, we're not going straight to the house."

"We're not? Why wouldn't we?"

Gigi moved closer to Deacon, "Lucas is putting Riley in the shower, they're like rabbits."

Deacon chuckled, "Oh Gigi, I guess I'll just have to bring you back to my place."

"Good, I think that sounds perfect."

* * *

Riley could feel the tears in her eyes all the way home. She held them in, only every so often would she choke back a sob.

No one in this town would accept her now. She'd won the bake-off, and then gotten into a cat-fight with Dixie.

Her stomach twisted, she could feel her hands shaking. What if this cost Lucas the election?

She almost didn't realize they were home until Lucas was unbuckling her seatbelt.

He cupped her face in his hands, "Honey, this is going to be okay."

She shook her head, trying to pull away from him, but he wouldn't let her. "Lucas, if you lose because people hate me, what kind of wife am I?"

"Mine." He studied her cake covered hair, face, dress, "I wouldn't want any other wife. I was ready to spend the rest of my life single. Never having children, never knowing the kind of pride I felt today when they announced you were the winner. You Riley are the wife I want, you don't have to fit into some crazy ideal others have about what you should be. Just be you, and I'll be me. If I don't become Mayor than that's not what I was meant to be."

"If I'm a complication to you, I'll leave Lucas."

"Fuck no." he looked at his wife, "You are my wife, you are Riley Chloe Friar. If you leave me I will chase after you. I will go to New York, Paris, anywhere I have to, to drag you home to me."

"I don't deserve you." She buried her face in his shoulder.

Lucas held her for a moment before lifting her up, kicking the door closed before carrying his crying wife into the house. He moved slowly to take her up to the bedroom, and finally the bathroom.

He sat Riley down on the counter, her face red and puffy, her breathing ragged as he started the shower. He came over and helped her out of the dress, and the rest of her clothes. He stepped back once she was naked, and smiled at her but she didn't smile back. "Really Ri? I'm going to have to do this to get a smile, aren't I?"

Riley blinked, her eyes filled with tears she wiped away to see Lucas unbuttoning his shirt, "What are you doing?"

"Getting naked." He pulled his shirt off, twirling it in the air before tossing it to the hamper, "Come on you know you like me naked."

"Lucas." She sighed, still crying.

"Almost" He shimmied his hips as he took off his pants, making sure he bent over so that Riley got a good view of his ass in his boxer briefs.

Riley held back the smile that was quivering on her lips.

"Okay, okay, I get it, you want it all." Lucas stood so Riley could see everything and pulled his boxer briefs down. "Happy now."

The smile crossed her lips and before she knew it he picked her up and brought her into the shower, making sure she was steady on her feet before he started to rinse out the debris of her cake fight. He could feel her relaxing as he washed her hair, holding her close as he let the conditioner sit for a few minutes before rinsing it out.

He slowly soaped up her body, kneading any spot the felt tense before finally he just held her under the shower head. Knowing that finally she really was relaxed before he turned off the water, wrapping her in her favorite towel and attempting to dry her hair.

"Thank you." She looked up, her eyes still a little puffy.

"You're welcome." He kissed her forehead as he wrapped his own towel around his body, "Want anything, water, wine, whiskey, food, sex?"

"I just want you to lay with me, holding me. Can you do that?"

"Always." He lifted her up before she could protest and carried her into the bedroom, laying her on their bed before joining her.

They were silent for a long time, the glow of sunset darkening to twilight around them. "You called me Riley Chloe Friar earlier."

"Yes, I did." He watched the way the natural darken played across her body.

"I'm still technically a Matthews."

Lucas picked up the silk cord from around her neck that held their wedding rings, "As soon as you're ready to change your last name, go for it. But my heart you're a Friar, you were always meant to be a Friar."

She kissed him, afraid of some other deep buried insecurity rising to the surface. She needed to feel his love, and she did. The way he cradled her against him, the smoothness and softness of his touch.

Riley pulled his towel open, before pulling hers as well. She needed to feel her husband against her, she deepened the kiss, aching for more, and without words, without verbal direction they made love, slowly, almost silently, feeling each touch, each reaction ripple through them.

Lucas took every direction from what she did. She guided him in unspoken cues that he was sure could only exist between the two of them. He could feel her climax, as his hit. They were different, intense yes, but deeper, purer, as though they had connected in a way they never had before.

"I'm your wife, you're my husband." Riley studied his face in the darkness, still sure his green eyes sparkled, "This is our life now Lucas."

"It's just starting to hit you, isn't it?" He let his fingers trace over her face, "You've got a whole new business starting, it's scary. But you will do amazingly well because Riley, you get people in a way others don't. Please don't let anything scare you away from that."

"It is just hitting me" she looked at their wedding rings around her neck, "Part of me wanted to tell Dixie tonight that you're my husband, but I didn't."

"What did you tell her that really pissed her off?"

Riley looked down as her hand took hold of his, "That I'm the one who bought the ranch."

Lucas chuckled, "You know everyone in town will probably know by tomorrow morning, right?"

"So, what, they'll either hate it or love it. Eventually, if all goes as planned they'll probably be making a profit off of it from the guests."

"Now that is an attitude I would like to hear more often."

"Can we blame this on lack of sleep and stress?"

Lucas pretended to think for a moment, "I guess we can this time." He sighed, "Gigi is engaged to Deacon."

"I know, I've known." Riley sighed.

"I think Zay pushed Gigi away, I think something almost happened, maybe it did happen, but he pushed her towards Deacon."

"I was suspecting that, she denies anything ever happening with Zay." Riley brought Lucas' hand to her lips, "So, all we can do is trust that they're making the right decisions. Besides we're not their parents, it does feel like we are at times though."

"It really does, but I think when we do have children they'll be much cuter than Gigi or Zay."

Riley giggled, "You are awful."

"But you love me anyways."

"I do, I do love you." She kissed him quickly, "Thank you, you knew exactly what I needed tonight."

"I'm just glad I could give you what you needed, but now I, as a Doctor, am ordering you to get some sleep."

"You're a Veterinarian," She reminded him.

"Yeah well, get some sleep." He kissed her forehead, "You had a long day Mrs. Friar."

"Mmm, I do like when you call me that." She snuggled up against him, feeling him pull the sheet over their bodies as she drifted to sleep.


	32. -loss of my innocence-

_**Author Note: Seriously thank you so much to everyone who is still reading this, you guys are amazing in ways you will never know. Something comes up in this chapter that I 100% have planned for a while, I was writing the scene when I saw the news tweet about it and was like eek!  
Oh, I've got a reader survey going and it would be amazing if you could take the time to fill it out. Everything is 100% anonymous, I'm just a little curious about a few things so I thought why not ask. So if you fill that out, thank you! (I put the link in my profile here on ff)**_

* * *

 **-loss of my innocence-**

"Come on guys get this room cleaned up." Riley looked at the crew that had been working on the renovations of the lodge.

"Yes Boss, we should have the room cleaned up in twenty minutes or so. We're just finishing to install the television, and we'll get this place cleared up."

"Thank you." She smiled, "We start painting tomorrow."

"We'll be cleaned up and ready for you to paint." The foreman told her.

She rubbed her forehead, "Thank you Alec, I know I gave you guys a short deadline but you've been great so far."

"Well we want the rest of the jobs, we know if we mess up you'll replace us." Alec shot her a smile before he finished with the television, turning it on, "Should be good to go."

"Thanks" Riley took the remote control from him and turned the set on, pulling up her favorite cable news channel.

"Your patrons will want to watch sports." Her husband's smooth voice danced in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm just making sure the TV works." She leaned into him, "You this anxious to go to the football game tonight?"

"Riley, this is Texas, it's Friday night, we do football." He smirked, "Haven't you figured that out yet?"

"I have," she smiled as she put the remote down behind the bar, "How's this look so far?'

"Amazing, and it'll look even better once it's painted, and you have actual guests."

"We're on schedule for a Valentine's Day opening." She ran her hands through her hair as she looked at her husband, "You ready for tonight? Things are really picking up; the election is barely a month away."

"I sure am, the trunk is full of buttons and stuff. I also have a basket of stuff for dinner, I got your hoodie in the car."

Riley paused for a moment as she looked around, "I gotta get my purse from the office. Give me a minute."

"No problem." Lucas turned his focus to the news as Riley left.

" _And today in New York, son of business mogul Stuart Minkus, Farkle Minkus announced his candidacy for the recently vacant seat in the Senate."_

"Is that Farkle?" Riley's voice was cloaked in bitterness.

Lucas turned to his wife, her eyes wide with a fire he'd never seen before, "Looks like it."

"That fucking asshole!" She threw her purse down on the ground, "He and his wife, force me out of the business I built, the business I worked my ass off at, the business where I subjected myself to months, years really away from my family and friends, and then he runs for office?"

Lucas put his hands on her shoulders, "Hey, honey, you have every right to be upset."

"I don't understand why they forced me out, this isn't what they told me." She blinked back the tears in her eyes.

Lucas pulled her towards him, he could feel her tears already seeping into his t-shirt, "Farkle hasn't returned any of my calls, and Zay said he hasn't spoken to either of them since right before you went to New York."

Riley pulled back, wiping her eyes, looking up to see Farkle on the screen giving a speech, and then she saw the chyron at the bottom, _IRSM Consulting dissolved in August. Riley Lawrence left the company to move Texas and start a new project outside of politics._

"Why are they even mentioning you?" Lucas looked back at the screen.

"I don't know none of this makes sense." She picked up her purse and stared digging through her purse for her phone.

" _Today the FDA announced a recall for the birth-control ComHil."_

Riley froze, as she looked up at the TV again. Her mind racing as she held her phone in her hand.

"Ri, you okay honey?"

"Yeah, um, found my phone. I'm going to call Maya in the car, see what she knows."

Lucas cupped her face giving her a smile, "Hey, you know what as much as it hurts, as much as it stings that Farkle and Smackle did you dirty like this, but they freed you as well, think about it. You decided, you choose to come here, to be with me, to build a life with me."

Riley gazed into his green eyes for a moment, "That is true."

"So, you call Maya, see what she knows and I will get us to the football field."

"You are the best. How did I get so lucky to find you?"

"The subway jolted and I pulled you into my lap." He smirked before reaching around the bar for the remote and turning off the TV.

She took a deep breath, trying to relax herself even though she had far too many thoughts running through her head. She had to find out what was going on with Farkle and Smackle, why they had lied to her.

Lucas guided her out of the lodge and to his SUV, he knew she was upset, he couldn't blame her for being so. He didn't understand why Smackle and Farkle did what they had, and he couldn't fathom why. The thing that really got him was that they lied to her, even what she told him when she finally had, didn't feel right.

He took a deep breath before opening the driver's side door, he could already hear her talking to Maya.

"What is going on with Farkle, what the hell are he and Smackle up to?"

" _I don't know Riles, they won't talk to us and I've been trying. I even went to the offices, which FYI are all closed up. It's like creepy abandoned."_ Maya's voice came over the speaker phone almost causing Lucas to jump as he started the engine. _"Riles, where are you? Please don't be driving right now."_

"I'm in the car, but Lucas is driving."

"Hi Maya." He glanced to Riley, sure her best friend as going to have a snarky comment.

" _Whoa he speaks, I was starting to wonder."_ Maya teased. _"So, what are you to up to, a hayride or something like that?"_

"Football game, it's Friday night. What are you doing?"

" _Movie night, we're watching Trolls—again, Fallon and Drew love it. One day Riley you're going to get married and have kids, and it's not football games or square dancing or whatever it is you all do down there, it's sitting at home watching something off Netflix for the fifteenth time that week."_

Lucas smirked, he couldn't help but enjoy the knowledge that Maya didn't know he and Riley were already married, "I don't know Maya, that kind of sounds like our Saturday nights, we watched Trolls just last week."

" _Ugh, you would Ranger Rick."_

"Blast from the past." Lucas chuckled, as he turned into the entrance for the high school. It was still early and he found a good spot quickly.

"Maya, will you please just ask Farkle what his damage is if he does talk to you. They haven't taken my calls, or answered my emails."

" _I'll do what I can. But they're avoiding all of us."_

Riley sighed as she watched Lucas get out of the truck, "I don't like the way they did this. What gets me is, if they had really just talked to me, we could've worked something out."

" _But would you have the settlement you got?"_

"The money doesn't matter to me, okay, yeah its allowed me to do a few things that I might not have been able to otherwise, but it just feels dirty, it did then, but even more so now." She heard the trunk open, she glanced back to her husband, "I gotta go and play devoted fiancé."

" _Get married already, Lucas ask her to marry you."_

Riley chuckled, "Good night Maya." She hung up before her friend could continue.

Lucas laughed as he unloaded stuff from the trunk, "She's gonna kill us."

Riley shrugged as she got out of the car, "I like what we have, it works for us."

"It sure does." He gave her a quick kiss as he pulled out the picnic cooler, "Ready?"

"Ready." She took his hand, and picked up the bag of campaign swag before they moved to the high school.

* * *

Gigi sat in the doctor's office, chewing her thumbnail as she waited for the doctor to return. She felt like each minute that went by took an hour.

A nurse came in to check on her, offering a supportive smile, "Dr. McGuire will be with you in just a few minutes, it's a little crazy today."

"Thanks" Gigi wished she had brought a magazine with her, this couldn't take too long, but the nerves were building. She tried to think, if she was, what were the possibilities.

She couldn't remember if she and Deacon had used condoms early on, the only time she knew she'd used them in the last few months was the night with Zay.

At least if she was she didn't have to worry about who the father was.

She rubbed her hands over her face, her heart racing, how had things gotten to this point?

"Okay Gigi," The doctor popped her red-haired head into the room, "you ready?"

"I sure am Aunt Rachel." She sighed watched the older woman come into the room.

Rachel sat down on the stool and looked over the chart, "Good news, you're not pregnant."

"Oh, thank God." Gigi breathed, "I mean I didn't _think_ I was, but with the recall of my birth control, I figured I should check."

"Good idea, I'm guessing you and the fiancé have been active."

"I haven't told Mom yet Aunt Rachel, please don't tell her. I'm waiting for when she and Dad come into town for the holidays."

"Oh, don't worry, I won't say a word to my sister." She looked back down at the chart making a note, "So I'm going to try you out on a different prescription, but I do suggest either wait a week, or use a condom until then."

"Okay, I can handle that." Gigi slipped off the table and started getting dressed again.

"How's Lucas, I know I haven't been around much."

"Aunt Rachel, we know you're busy, besides you were off helping women who needed it. You're an inspiration."

Rachel rolled her eyes at her niece, "You don't have to suck up, I won't tell your Mom."

"No, I mean it." Gigi shrugged, "And Lucas is good, he's very happy with Riley and campaigning, and planning his wedding for March."

Rachel looked up from writing out the prescription, "Wait, hold up, Lucas is engaged?"

"Oh right, you just got back like a week ago." Gigi cringed, "Lucas is engaged to Riley Matthews."

"Wait, the girl from New York?"

"Yeah, her, they're beyond happy."

"How did that happen, I thought she was working in politics thanks to her Uncle Eric."

Gigi stared at her Aunt, "How do you know that, Lucas didn't."

"Eric must've mentioned it." Rachel shrugged.

"Wait, you know her Uncle?"

"Yeah" Rachel looked at her niece, "We were college roommates. So, she and Lucas are engaged huh?"

"Yeah something like that." Gigi grabbed her purse, "I gotta go fill this prescription, meet them and Deacon at the football game, are you coming by tonight?"

"Actually," Rachel gave her niece a smile, "I think I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, have a good night Aunt Rachel."

* * *

"I'll be right back." Lucas gave Riley a kiss on the cheek just as Gigi was sitting down next to her.

"You guys really are sappy." Gigi groaned.

Riley ignored her, "Where are you going?"

"I left the hoodies in the car and the air is starting to chill, I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Okay, we'll be here." Riley watched him for a moment before turning to Gigi, "Where did you disappear to?"

"Doctor, I had to get a new prescription for birth control."

Riley turned to her concerned, "Why, what was wrong with what you were using, wait you were using something right Gigi?"

"Yes, but the stuff I was on got recalled, some mess up in the manufacturing or something. But Aunt Rachel got me on something new."

"Wow my Doctor is named Rachel as well," Riley looked out to the field, "My Uncle is like best friends with her, so I have an appointment next week just for a checkup and stuff."

"Rachel McGuire?"

"Yeah, why?"

"That's our Aunt." Gigi shrugged, "Small world, huh?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Okay, thank God I had these or Mrs. Miller was going to talk my ear off." Lucas sat next to his wife and handed her the hoodie he'd been carrying.

"Oh thanks." Riley took it, and pulled it on realizing immediately it was brand new, not the Abigail Adams High one she'd been wearing since she got to town. She looked down and saw Rosewood Springs printed on front, "Lucas what is this?"

"I know it's not the hoodie, but I thought since you live here now, and we're at a Rosewood Springs game, it might be better if you wore something from here." He waited, hoping he hadn't done the wrong thing.

Riley took a deep breath, "I love it Lucas, it just doesn't smell like you."

He put his arm around her, "Yeah well, it'll smell like you."

Riley breathed in his scent, "This will just have to do."

Gigi made a gagging sound, "You guys are awful."

Lucas looked up to his sister, "Yeah cause you and Deacon aren't full on with the public displays of affection."

Gigi blushed, "We are nowhere near as bad as you two."

Deacon slipped in the seat next to Gigi, "What's the score?"

She turned to her fiancé, "It hasn't started yet, you got here before kickoff."

"Awesome." He looked to his boss and his fiancé, "Hello guys, hey could I got a new Vote for Lucas button? Mine got destroyed on a house call this morning."

Lucas looked at the younger man, "Of course, what happened?"

"Mitzy the goat tried to eat it." Deacon looked down, "I had it pinned to the shoulder strap of my bag. I set the bag down while I was examining Trixy and when I looked over Mitzy had the pin her mouth."

Lucas' mouth hung open, "I have no words, but you'll have more stories like that as the years go on."

"I'll give you a bag of pins to keep in case you have another run-in with goats." Riley shook her head as the PA system blared with an announcement.

The crowd around them came alive as the band began to play cheerleaders began to cheer.

Riley was still getting used to this part of her new life. She loved watching the enthusiasm of the crowd, it could be intoxicating. In high school, she hadn't gone to many sporting events after Lucas left. She'd thrown herself into her work at the bakery, saving every penny she could, studying.

Never in a million years had she expected to be here. As she felt Lucas put his arm around her, pulling her close to him she couldn't imagine being anywhere else for the rest of her life.

* * *

Gigi breathed a sigh of relief as she parked her car, thinking about her appointment earlier as she got out to run into the house and grab a few things before going over to Deacon's.

It was easier each day, the more time she spent at his place, the less chance she had of running into Zay, though from the sounds of it he was spending more and more time at the apartment above the bar then here.

The door flew open just before Gigi could put her key in to unlock it, as her eyes adjusted to the sudden bright light flooding from inside she gulped.

She stepped inside after glancing to see if Riley and Lucas were home, but she didn't see either of their cars.

"Georgianna Darcy Friar, where on earth have you been?" The voice was accusing, harsh, but also loving as well.

She turned to the door of Lucas' office and saw her mother Bonnie Friar, with her strawberry blonde hair in a classic bob cut, a nice pantsuit for her flight so she looked put together but still comfortable.

"Mom, it's Friday night I was at the football game." She moved to give her mother a hug, wondering why no one told her she was coming, "Lucas didn't mention you were coming."

Bonnie waved her hand, "He doesn't know." She moved around the house, running her hands over the furniture expecting to leave trails in the dust only to discover she didn't, "I see your housekeeping skills have improved."

"Oh that wouldn't be me keeping house." Gigi slipped her left hand into the pocket of her jacket, "So where's Dad?"

"Upstairs taking a shower, we had a long flight from London." Bonnie paused at a picture on the mantle, "What is this doing out, I didn't know Lucas still had pictures of her."

Gigi looked at the picture of Lucas and Riley, it was from high school, a dance, they were posed together, gazing into each other's eyes. "They look so in love in that picture."

"High school romance, they never would've made it to graduation if we'd stayed in New York." Bonnie put the picture down, "Riley was always a bit spacy. You know has your brother given Dixie a chance."

"No, Lucas is never giving Dixie a chance." Gigi rolled her eyes when her mother turned away, "Dixie is a psycho-bitch."

"She is a very nice young lady, from a very well-respected family here in town, they own the property right next to ours."

Gigi paused for a moment, "They used to, it has new owners, who are working to revitalize the property, and create a better resort."

"Pish-posh Gigi, the Carmichael's especially Dixie did quite well with it."

"I would love to stick around and see how this all plays out, but I'm going to go get some stuff before I leave." Gigi started going towards the stairs.

"Gigi, where do you think you're going? It's late where could a respectable girl like yourself be going this late at night?"

Gigi straightened up, "Over to Deacon Hughes house where I'm going to crawl into bed with him, probably have sex, and spend the night."

Bonnie reached for her daughter, "Like hell you are! Is this what happens when we leave you in your brother's care, you become the town slut?"

"Sorry Mom, I don't think spending the night with my fiancé is going to make me the town slut." Gigi held her left hand up, "So yeah being in Lucas' care has left me with finding the man I'm going to marry."

Bonnie's face shadowed over, "You're engaged and didn't tell me Gigi, but why?"

"I knew you wouldn't approve, besides it's not like you care. You call but mostly talk to me for like two minutes before asking to talk to Lucas again." Gigi started up the stairs, ignoring her mother following her.

"Gigi, talk to me." Bonnie pleaded as she watched her daughter stuff clothes into her bag and grab a few things, it was then that she realized how empty the room had become, her daughter was slowly moving in with this man.

"I have to go Mom, but hey I'm sure you'll have plenty to talk to Lucas about." Gigi pushed past her as she moved down the stairs, going straight out the front door just as Riley and Lucas were coming p the steps, "Good luck."

"With what?" Lucas called out before turning around and seeing his mother in the doorway. "Mom?"

Bonnie stopped going after Gigi when she saw her son, wondering how he could have the audacity to bring a woman home. But as they came up the last step she realized who was with him.

She looked to her son, "I cannot believe you have the stupidity to have this girl here. What are you doing Lucas, you will never become the Mayor if you have this New York trash on your arm. I thought you were smarter than that Lucas, I thought you would finally wise up and realize that it's time to settle down with a good southern girl. You what decided to open old wounds and bring back this simple little waif?"

Riley was stunned, she'd always thought Mrs. Friar liked her.

Lucas couldn't believe what his mother was saying, he could only imagine what she'd said to Gigi.

"What do you have to say for yourself Lucas?" Bonnie kept her eyes on her son, she had expected him to say something back to her.

"I want to say it's good to see you Mom, I do wish you had called before coming. But how dare you speak to Riley like that. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Get this trash out of my house Lucas." Bonnie went to the door.

Lucas blinked, "Actually Mom, this is _my_ house. Riley lives here with me. If you have a problem with her, get the fuck over it, or find someplace else to stay."


	33. -look him in the eye-

_**Author Note: So, that Bonnie Friar is something else or what huh?  
Thank you to everyone who has filled out the reader survey so far, it's been eye opening.**_

* * *

 **-look him in the eye-**

"I'm sorry but how dare you speak to me that way." Bonnie drilled her dark green eyes into her son, "I am your Mother."

"Yes, you are." Lucas felt his whole-body tense, trying to understand what the hell was wrong with her, she had always appeared to like Riley when they were younger. "I am doing very well in the campaign, I am going to be the Mayor of Rosewood Springs, and that's because of Riley."

"How is this little waif making that happen?"

"I am **not** a waif." Riley fired out, "I am the top campaign consultant in the country. Every client I have ever worked with has won. That includes mayors, governors, and senators. I graduated at the top of my class from George Washington University. On top of that most people in town like me."

Bonnie visibly rolled her eyes, "It's all fake, they'll never accept you. Just enter the bake off next year if you're still around, you'll never win it."

"Oh, well I will be entering it next year to defend my title as the current champ," Riley looked to Lucas, her head spinning, "I'm going to bed, I'll see you when you come up."

Lucas kissed Riley, hoping that whatever his mother had said so far, whatever Riley might hear wouldn't seep into her insecurities the way others had in the past.

Riley pulled away with a smile, her left-hand caressing Lucas' cheek when she felt someone grab her wrist.

"What the hell is this Lucas?"

"That would be an engagement ring Mom, Riley and I plan to be together, forever." He watched as his mother dropped Riley's hand.

"Gigi is engaged, you're engaged, why the hell are neither of you telling me anything?"

Lucas rubbed his forehead as Riley slipped out of the room, "Mom, I think we were both just waiting for the right time to tell you. Especially if this is how you're going to be reacting."

Bonnie turned away from her son, resting her hands on the mantle, "You need a good Southern woman to be your wife Lucas, you need a local girl."

"No Mom, I need Riley. She is like oxygen to me."

Bonnie shook her head, "You were so much better off when we moved back to Texas and got away from her."

Lucas stared at his mother, "What is wrong with you? You adored Riley when we were younger."

"She's not the kind of woman you need Lucas. You need a woman who can keep a good house, who can cook, who can fit in here in town." Bonnie turned to her child, "Why did you never give Dixie a chance?"

His eyes widened, was his mother serious? "What is wrong with you? Dixie is not someone I even want to be around. Why the hell would I give her a chance? Do you know what she's done? No of course not because you've been in London, for how long?"

"Oh Lucas, you never gave that girl a chance."

"Because I was never interested in her. My heart has always belonged to Riley, it's always going to belong to Riley. She and I are going to be together, we'll have kids, and if you can't accept that, then you won't get to be a grandmother to them."

"Lucas" Riley's voice was high, loud, shaky from upstairs.

Lucas didn't think, he ran upstairs, throwing open the door of the Master Bedroom, finding his wife half naked, holding a pillow over her body and his father wearing a towel around his waist. "Dad, why are you in my bathroom?"

"It's my bathroom Lucas." His father shook his head, "You going to introduce me to your little lady friend?"

Lucas rubbed the spot above his eyes, wondering if this night could get any worse. "Dad, you remember Riley, she's my fiancé."

Riley held the pillow tightly against her body, "Nice to see you again Mr. Friar."

"You're engaged, congratulations boy! I'm happy for you, you too Riley, my you grew into a fine looking young woman."

Lucas shook his head, "Dad, this is my house, my bedroom, my bathroom. This is the room where Riley and I sleep, if you and Mom are going to stay here, you can take the guestroom next door, otherwise I'm sure there is a vacancy at the motel on the highway."

"Lucas, this is my house." His father insisted.

Lucas picked up Riley's bathrobe from the chair and helped her put it on, "Dad, this house, this ranch, it belongs to me. The name on the deed is Lucas Friar, not Grady Friar."

"Sorry, sorry, you're right son. This is your house, your bedroom." Grady moved to grab his items, "I'll get my and your mothers things out of here and let the two of you have your room back."

"Good idea Dad," Lucas sighed looking out the window, "What is Mom upset about?"

"It would be easier to ask what she's not upset about, and even then, I'm not sure I could actually answer that." Grady confessed as he pulled on a pair of pajama pants before grabbing the two suitcases and going to the door, "We'll talk in the morning son."

"Oh Yes, I'm sure we will be." Lucas released an exaggerated breath when he sat down after his father left the room.

"What the hell is going on?" Riley asked her husband as he pulled her close to him, resting his head against her stomach.

"I don't know." He sighed, "They haven't been here in so long, I don't know what is going on with my Mom at all. I am so sorry for what she said to you."

Riley ran her fingers through his hair, "Hey, you can't control your Mom, but did you have any idea they were coming today?"

"None" he continued to hold her, listening to her breath, he could feel the tension in her being, "You are my wife Riley, if it makes her mad or whatever that's her problem. I love you, and that's not changing anytime soon, except that I love you more tonight then I did this morning, and in the morning, I'll love you more than I do right now."

"It was just shocking" Riley confessed, "I never knew your Mom didn't like me."

"I didn't know either." He pulled Riley onto his lap, "But she has to get over it. Whatever she's really upset about, she needs to learn to get over it on her own."

She draped her arms over his shoulders, "I'm not running away from you Lucas, I'm not running away from us. Your Mom can try, but I already got you my silly husband."

He nuzzled her neck, "I am so thankful for you."

Riley relaxed into him, "And I am so thankful for you."

"Let's get to bed, I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day."

"Yes, I think so as well." She sighed as she got up from his lap. "I can't believe your parents thought they would get your room while visiting."

"Yeah, I don't get that either" he sighed as he pulled open the drawer for his pajama pants, "My Father is wearing my pajamas."

Riley giggled, "At least your Mom isn't wearing my nightie I was getting ready to put on."

"Ugh, do not put that image in my head."

Riley held up the purple nightie, "I only want you to ever think about this, on my body."

Lucas crawled onto the bed, "I would much rather think about taking it off your body."

"I have to get it on first." She reminded him as his hands slipped under the opening of her robe.

"Next time." He kissed her, pushing the robe off her body before pulling her onto the bed with him.

* * *

Gigi wiped her eyes, knowing they were puffy but she couldn't sit in the car and cry all night. Her stomach was tight as she thought about the things her mother had said to her. _The town slut_. It stung that her mother would think of her that way.

She grabbed the key and shoved it into her purse as she got out, she could hear the music from inside as she went in the back door. She went quickly up the stairs, feeling the quickening of her heart as she opened the door. "Hey" her voice cracked.

"What's wrong?" He looked up from the couch where he'd been waiting since she texted him.

"My parents showed up." She felt light headed before sitting down next to him, "Mom called me the town slut."

"What, why would she do that?"

"Because I was stopping by the house to get stuff before…"

"I get it." He reached up to caress her cheek, he closed his eyes when she leaned into his touch.

"I just, I don't want to think, I just want to feel, I need to feel." She took his hand, slipping it under her shirt to her breast, "I want to feel as good as I did in Vegas."

"Gigi, we can't" But God did he want to.

She reached over rubbing her hand over the crotch of his pants, "You need to feel good too Zay, I know that you need to feel it, the way I do."

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." He reminded her, sucking in his breath as he felt his body reacting to her.

Gigi leaned close to him, "Fuck me Zay, make me scream the way only you can."

"Gigi, what about Deacon?"

She pulled herself onto Zay's lap, "What happens between you and me, is between us. Deacon never needs to know."

"And what about Gloria May?"

"She doesn't need to know either, or is she spending the night?"

Zay gulped, "She's out of town."

Gigi smirked as she worked to unzip his jeans, "Touch me, the way only you can."

She was intoxicating, it was the only way he could describe her as she sat straddling his lap, her fingers barely touching him, but driving him wild all at the same time. He knew he shouldn't give in, he'd done that already, he should send her away. Hadn't he done that before? "Gigi, we can't do this." God, he wanted to.

"Yes, we can." She took his hands with hers, pinning them to the back of the couch, "You want to fuck me Zay, I want to fuck you. What do you need, Gloria May to join us, Deacon to join us, both, let them watch?"

Was she really suggesting what he thought she was? "Actually, yeah, if you want to fuck me, Gloria May and Deacon must be there as well, a real swap kind of thing." She would never go for it.

Gigi slid off his lap between his legs, looking up at him before she released his shaft from his boxers, stroking him, "If that's how I get you, then it'll be what happens."

His eyes were wide, she had to be kidding. "Yeah, that's what has to happen."

"Consider it a done deal." She ran her tongue over him, feeling his body twitch, she smiled before pulling away, "I'll talk to Deacon, you talk to Gloria May, and we'll make this happen."

"Yeah, sure." No way in hell was Zay actually going to suggest this to Gloria May, he'd be slapped into the next county if he did, besides she wouldn't be into it. Deacon wouldn't either, he would tell Gigi she was ridiculous.

"I should go." Gigi went to the door, watching as Zay readjusted himself, "We'll all get together soon."

"Sounds like a plan." He watched her leave, breathing a sigh of relief, he only had so much strength and he was maybe thirty seconds away from pulling her under him, and giving into what she wanted.

* * *

"Gigi where have you been?" Deacon quickly closed his laptop when she came in.

She crossed the room and opened the laptop up again, "Thinking about something, I know what you watch Deacon."

"You do?" he could feel his stomach tighten.

Gigi nodded, "I know what videos turn you on, they turn me on to."

"They do?" Deacon felt her lips on his neck as the sounds of the video he'd been watching filled the room.

She moved up to his ear, "Yes, and I have an idea, what if we found another couple to join us?"

Deacon gulped, he couldn't believe Gigi was suggesting this, he had to be dreaming. "Like on craigslist?" He could hear her giggle, feel her smile.

"I think I know a couple who could join us, it could be your birthday present if you want." She ran her hands down his thick, hard, arm.

"You do, who?"

"Gloria May and Zay." She pulled back to see his reaction as a grin spread over him. "You like that idea?"

"Yeah, I do, think they'll go for it."

"I do." She kissed him. "Now are we going to watch videos or are we going to have a live performance right here?"

"Why not both." He suggested feeling a surge of confidence.

"Okay," Gigi bit her lip, she couldn't believe Deacon agreed to this. "Do whatever you want to me."

* * *

Riley hadn't been able to sleep, for a while she laid in bed, listening to Lucas breathing, watching him sleep, but she started getting stir crazy with the thought that her mother-in-law hated her, didn't think she was good enough for Lucas.

So, after a while she pulled on her pajama pants and a tank top and came down to the kitchen. First, she baked some muffins for the morning, and then as they were in the oven she started to clear out the cabinets and start to sort through the decades upon decades of item that had been shoved inside.

She found decorative cake pans and Jell-O molds, about two dozen different pitchers, and more. She couldn't believe how much stuff there was. She sorted it all, reorganizing items into different cabinets as the sun started to creep up from the horizon.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bonnie stood in the doorway watching as Riley set the coffee to brew.

"Making coffee, Good Morning Mrs. Friar."

"When do you go back to New York?" Bonnie stepped into the room, crossing her arms over her chest.

Riley looked up as she took an egg from the carton, "I have no plans to go back to New York anytime soon. My life is here."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, "What is it going to take to get you to leave Lucas, a hundred thousand?"

Riley cracked the egg before picking up another, "You're kidding me right, you want to bribe me to leave Lucas? You think you can pay me off?"

"New York Trash like you, yeah, you could probably use the extra cash." Bonnie smirked sure she'd busted a gold-digger.

Riley burst out laughing, "Oh my gosh, yeah no. I'm good, maybe I should bribe you to take the stick out of your ass."

"Excuse me little girl, what did you just say to me?"

Riley looked to her, "Get the stick out of your ass. I don't know what the fuck I did to you to make you hate me, but I am not going to stand around while you insult me, try to get me to leave Lucas. I love him, I have loved him longer than I can remember."

"You will never walk down the aisle to my son if I have any say about it."

"You don't have a say, Lucas gets to decide who to marry."

Bonnie looked at the young woman in front of her, "You could never make my son happy, now a girl like Dixie Carmichael, she could make my son very happy."

"Okay, now I know you're out of your mind." Riley grabbed another egg, "Dixie has basically stalked your son, to the point where he told her if she steps foot on this property again he's calling the sheriff."

"Lucas wouldn't do that, he and Dixie are like this." Bonnie held up her and with her fingers crossed together.

"I don't think you know your son that well at all if you think Dixie and he are close. So, unless you need something, get the hell out of my kitchen."

"This is _my_ kitchen." Bonnie slammed her hands down on the new kitchen island. "What the hell is this?"

"Oh, Lucas built it for me, the old one wasn't as sturdy as it should be." She cracked the last egg into the bowl before taking the whisk and beating the eggs. "Breakfast will be ready in a little bit, you should go get freshened up."

"I don't know what you think is going on with you and my son, but I will put a stop to it." Bonnie's face was sour as she looked at Riley before leaving the kitchen, she went out the front door to the porch taking out her phone.

She wondered if it was too early but decided this call needed to be made one way or another, "You're right, she has to go before she hurts Lucas. Come on over for a barbeque tonight, and I think we can sort this whole thing out and have her on a plane back to New York before it's even dark out. I'll see you then Dixie."

Bonnie looked out at the ranch, sunrise was her favorite time of day here. She knew that Lucas couldn't see he was with an awful gold-digger, but when Dixie emailed her a few weeks ago explaining all the awful things that had been happening to Lucas she knew she couldn't stay in London another minute and not come back to protect her baby boy.

She knew her son was blinded by old feelings, and whatever new charms Riley had learned. She wouldn't allow her son to be conned out of anything, not his money, not his ranch, not his business. Riley Matthews wasn't going to get her hands-on Lucas' money, Bonnie was going to see to that.


	34. -blows me away-

_**Author Note: Sorry this took so long, thank you again to everyone who has filled out the reader survey so far. It's been fascinating to see the responses. Also totally shocked over which non-rucas couple is the favorite.**_

* * *

 **-blows me away-**

Lucas jumped awake when he heard the door of his bedroom slam. He reached for Riley to protect her from the intruder only to find her space empty. His eyes blurry as he looked around and saw his mother at the foot of the bed.

"She has to go." Bonnie kept her arms crossed over her chest.

"Who?" He rubbed his head, his hair standing on end as he pulled the blankets close over his body.

Bonnie rolled her eyes, "That harlot who is taking over your house. She's a gold-digger Lucas."

He burst into laughter, "You're shitting me if you think this is true."

"It is true." Bonnie sat on the bed and took her son's hand, "Lucas, why did she show up now after all these years, after all this time when you're successful, you have the ranch, you have a sound investment portfolio. She wants your money."

Lucas continued laughing as he slipped out from under the covers, "Mom, trust me, Riley isn't after my money."

"Why is she here?" Bonnie studied her son as he grabbed a pair of jeans and pulled them on.

"Because she loves me, she and I plan to be together until the day we die. We're going to have children together."

"I heard how she came up and kissed you in church, and how she's threatened Dixie."

Lucas paused as he'd been digging through his drawer for a t-shirt. "Wait, what does Dixie have to do with any of this?"

"You should be with a good southern girl like Dixie."

"Yeah if I want to be with a psychotic gold-digger. Mom, I don't know where you're getting your information, but you've got it wrong. Riley is the right woman for me and you can't change it."

Bonnie threw her hands in the air, "You are going to make a mistake if you marry Riley. She'll clear out your bank accounts, she'll destroy you."

"Why are you here?" Lucas snapped as he turned to her.

"I'm worried about you. You're making a mistake Lucas. Riley Matthews is nothing but a gold-digger who will break your heart."

"I'm not dealing with you right now. Until you can accept that Riley and I are together, I don't want to talk to you." He pulled his shirt on and went to the door, "Now get out of my room, before I kick you out of this house—and I can because it's _my_ house."

Bonnie huffed before she relented it was obvious that Riley had gotten her claws into her son more than she'd realized.

* * *

"I think my mother has lost her mind." Lucas came into the kitchen, he could feel the tension that hung in the air.

Riley looked up from the stove, "She offered me money to leave you."

He shook his head, "Why are they here now? They never just show up. They always let us know."

"I have no idea." She took the pan off the stove and put the eggs into a bowl, "But breakfast is made."

Lucas sighed before he looked around the kitchen, "Riley, did you sleep at all last night or did you organize the kitchen?"

She sighed as she brought the bowl to the table, "That obvious huh?" she sat down, "Your Mom, I just don't get it. I always thought she liked me when we were younger. Then last night, and this morning already, it was awful. Where did she get this idea I'm after your money?"

"I don't know," he sat down next to her at the table, dropping his head into his hands, "She almost sounds like Dixie."

"I thought the same thing, it's creepy, right?"

"Very creepy."

"Eat something, please." Riley took a plate filling it with eggs, bacon, a muffin.

Lucas pulled her chair close to his, "I love you, please don't let anything she says make you doubt that."

Riley pulled on the silk cord that hung around her neck and pulled up their wedding rings, "I know you love me." She slipped the cord over her head and put it on him, letting the rings hang over his heart, "And even if your mother offered me more money than Farkle and Smackle gave me, I wouldn't leave you."

He brought her hand to his lips, "I know." He chuckled, "You're the gold-digger, that's rich."

"We're rich, and not because we have money, because we have each other." She closed her eyes for a moment, "I need to get ready, Gigi and I need to meet with the painters, and then hopefully you can find out what is going on with your parents, and maybe later we could take a nice hot bath together."

"I never knew how much I could love a bath until I got to join you." He smirked, "I'll talk to Dad, maybe he can shed some light on Mom."

"Good luck, Gigi should be here soon." Riley rose, feeling Lucas's fingers trailing down her as she did so.

"Do you have to go?" he really wasn't sure he was ready to be home with his parents.

"I do, I need to make sure they paint the right colors in the right places." She leaned down placing a gentle kiss on his lips, "I promise as soon as it's done I'll be back."

A knot twisted in his stomach, "Just, be safe."

"Always."

* * *

Gigi was standing by Riley's SUV, wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, tapping her foot as she waited. She didn't want to go into the house and deal with her mother. Not after last night, not after she'd been called the slut of Rosewood Springs.

The screen door opened and her father came down the stairs, "My little Gigi-Fruit."

"Hi Daddy." She felt a pit in her stomach as she looked at her father, his salt and pepper hair, his corporate relaxed style. This was the kind of client Riley was hoping to get for the resort. "Sorry I didn't see you last night."

Grady hugged his daughter, "I heard you and your Mom had a fight."

"Well that happens when she calls me the town slut." Gigi pulled away, "I'm not Daddy, I just stayed over with Deacon Hughes, my fiancé," she held her left hand up so he could see the ring.

"Woo! Well hot damn!" Grady picked his daughter up in a tight hug and spun her around, "My baby girl is getting married, hell your brother finally wised up and got Riley back. My kids are doing good."

Gigi was shocked, "I wasn't expecting that kind of reaction, not after how Mom was last night."

Grady sighed as he put her back down, "Your Mom is a little upset, I'm not sure if it's me retiring, or something else."

"You're retiring? So, does that mean you'll be coming back to Texas?"

"You didn't know?" he furrowed his brow as he studies his youngest child.

"No, I had no idea. I didn't know you guys were coming in. We weren't expecting to see you until Thanksgiving or Christmas." Gigi admitted.

Grady was silent as he processed this information, "Your Mom told me weeks ago she emailed you and Lucas about this, that we'd be coming home this weekend. We were excited it was now so we'll be able to vote for your brother in the election. You are registered to vote Gigi, right?"

"Yes Daddy, if I hadn't been Riley would've dragged my ass down to do it." Gigi looked at the door, "Is something else going on?"

Grady sighed, "Your Momma just seems a little worried about Lucas and Riley being back together." He confessed, "I think she's just projecting her feelings about my retirement onto them but what do I know? I think she might be creating a project for herself."

Gigi shook her head as the screen door opened and Riley came out, "Daddy, we'll talk some more later. Riley and I have to go."

"Riley, breakfast was delicious. Lucas is lucky to have a woman like you looking out after him." Grady told her as she came down from the porch.

"Thank you, Mr. Friar, that's kind of you to say."

"It's the truth," he put a hand on her shoulder, "I know Bonnie is giving you a tough time, I'm sorry about that. I know you love my boy, and I know he loves you."

Riley breathed a sigh of relief, "That is very comforting to know."

"Where are you ladies off to?" He watched them.

"We have to go meet some painters at a property I recently purchased." Riley gave him a smile, "In a few days, Gigi and Lucas will have to bring you by to see it."

"Have a good day girls." Grady backed away from the SUV as Gigi got into the driver's seat and Riley the passenger.

"See you later Daddy." Gigi waved to him as they pulled out to the driveway.

Riley sighed, "So your Dad, he seems normal, right?"

"Yeah," Gigi turned the radio on, "What's this about my Mom giving you a tough time?"

Riley adjusted the strap of her seatbelt so it wasn't digging into her neck, "I'm a gold-digger, she offered me money this morning to leave Lucas."

Gigi started to chuckle, "You're the gold-digger?"

"Yeah, it was weird. Last night your Dad was using our bathroom, and they had their stuff in our room. Did you know they were coming?"

"Nope." Gigi sighed as she slowed down at the end of the driveway before turning onto the highway, "Dad said that he's retired, they're back in Texas and Mom said she told us weeks ago."

"Lucas never said anything and he was just as surprised to see them."

Gigi nodded, "Don't worry Mom's also mad at me, I'm apparently the town slut."

Riley scoffed, "Oh please, she did not, oh no Gigi, is that why you left the way you did?"

"Yup." She exhaled loudly before turning the radio up.

 _The FDA yesterday recalled the birth-control ComHil after a discrepancy in manufacturing was found._

Riley felt her stomach flip, "They recalled ComHil?"

"Yeah, I um had to go get a new prescription yesterday." Gigi glanced over to Riley, "Wait is that what you use?"

"Yeah, could we stop at the pharmacy later, I have an appointment in a few days, but a home test later will be good to know."

Gigi nodded, "You and Lucas want kids, right?"

"Yeah, we do."

"You're already married, you're not hurting financially." Gigi reminded her sister-in-law, "And I mean you know Aunt Gigi will always be down to help out."

Riley giggled, "I know, I'm not going to worry about it now. Besides—"

Gigi saw the deer in the road, she slammed on the brakes but they didn't stop, she tried again maneuvering the SUV as best she could as she tried again to hit the brakes before everything flashed before her eyes.

* * *

"Mrs. Friar it is so good to see you." Dixie came up the front steps of the porch and greeted the older woman. She almost couldn't believe her plan was working, and hopefully the little task she'd taken care of earlier would help move things along.

"Dixie, I'm so glad you were able to come by." Bonnie let Dixie into the house, watching the young woman look around. "Something wrong?"

"It's different, something's off in here. It's too, big city." Dixie had practiced what she would say for weeks now as she put her plan into action.

Bonnie nodded, "Riley seems to be making herself at home, hopefully she'll leave soon."

"I doubt it," Dixie sighed, "You know she got Lucas to give her money to buy my family ranch."

Bonnie stopped dead in her tracks, "She did what?"

"Yeah, she's the one who bought it out from under us. She low-balled my Dad on a price and he accepted it. The ranch was worth so much more than what she paid for it." Dixie whimpered.

"She got my son to screw over your father financially?"

Dixie nodded and wiped a tear from her eyes, "She sure did."

Bonnie felt unsettled, none of this made sense to her. When Dixie had first emailed her to warn her of the awful gold-digger that Lucas had gotten with she'd been worried. She'd been anxious, trying to balance that along with preparing to return to the States after living in London the last few years. When she discovered it was Riley, the same Riley that Lucas had loved so purely as a boy, the same girl who took her little brother and Gigi on picnic dates in the park with her and Lucas, the same girl who at one time had stepped back from Lucas because she thought he wanted another—she couldn't believe it.

That had been years ago however. Riley was grown up, and it was very possible that living in New York had changed her.

That fire this morning, the refusal of the money, no Bonnie shook herself out of the thoughts. Why would Dixie accuse Riley of being a gold-digger if she wasn't one?

The door of Lucas' office opened, Grady stepped out with Lucas right behind him. "What is she doing here?" Lucas' green eyes filled with fire when he saw Dixie in his living room holding a framed picture of him and Riley.

"I invited Dixie over, is there a problem?"

"You invited Dixie here?" His eyes narrowed as he looked at the two women. That's who had gotten into his mother's head. That's why she'd been defending Dixie. "She needs to leave right now, or I will call the Sherriff. She's not welcome on this property and she knows it."

Dixie tossed the framed photo haphazardly onto the couch, "Lucas, honey we're worried about you. We're worried that Riley is taking advantage of you financially."

Grady burst out with a hearty laugh only to realize his wife and the troublemaker he'd never liked were serious. "Wait you guys think Riley is a gold-digger, Riley Matthews?"

Dixie crossed her arms over her chest, "Yes, I know she is. Why else would she be using Lucas' money the way she is."

Lucas could feel anger boiling inside of him, "What I do or don't do with my money or what Riley does and doesn't do with her money, or what we do with _our_ money is none of your concern. You are not now, nor have you ever been my girlfriend. You were never a prospect for me." He took several calculated steps towards her, leaning in close, "You were never even some slut I let suck my cock in the dark corner of a club, or fucked for a night in a hotel room. You're nothing to me Dixie. Now get the fuck off my property or I will call the Sheriff and have your manipulative ass thrown in jail."

"Lucas Friar!" Bonnie was wide eyed as she looked at her son, "What on earth is wrong with you?"

He spun towards his mother, "Dixie is nuts. She's the gold-digger, she's been trying to get me since high school and I have no desire to be with her. I love Riley, I am going to spend the rest of my life with Riley. If any of you can't accept that, then get the fuck off _my_ ranch." He huffed and then he looked to Dixie, "Oh and Dixie, Riley didn't use my money, she used her own money. Riley is independently wealthy because of her own business dealings. She didn't scam your Dad out of the property, she paid a fair price considering the disrepair it was in."

"That whore came to town to steal you from me." Dixie stomped her feet as she started a temper tantrum that would embarrass a toddler. "You are supposed to be mine Lucas. You and me, we're supposed to be together. I'm supposed to be your wife."

The rose-colored glasses that Bonnie had been wearing ever since Dixie had contacted her cracked, revealing the truth. "Dixie Carmichael stop this foolishness." She snapped. "My son has told you for the last time it's not happening."

Lucas was surprised by his mother, nothing she'd done since arriving the night before had made sense. He was going to the door to open it for Dixie to leave, just then to see two County Sheriffs coming up, he looked back, "I was just about to call you guys, I have a trespasser."

The two men looked to each other before looking back to Lucas, "Dr. Friar," the older of the two looked to him, "there was an accident out by the old guest resort ranch."

Lucas felt numb, "What happened?" his stomach flopped, his body tense.

"The SUV your sister Gigi was driving rolled over, we don't know why yet, they've both been taken to the county hospital."

"Riley was with her." His voice sounded distant to himself, as though he were drowning in something, everything was muffled.

The younger man nodded, "Do you need a ride sir?"

"No, I'll be fine." He blinked, sure he was going to vomit as he turned back into the house.

"Lucas, what's wrong?" his father studied his now pale son.

He didn't speak for a moment, "Gigi, Riley, they're, they were." He looked up, "They had an accident, they're at county."

"Oh no" Bonnie gasped and Grady took a hold of her, trying to stay strong, trying to ignore the shaking he felt in his body.

Dixie sauntered past them all, "Karma is bitch." She smirked before walking out the door.


	35. -won't ever be lonely-

_**Author Note: Oh, hey look another chapter, what?! So that cliffhanger last time huh?**_

 _ **If you haven't filled out the reader survey yet, I still have it up. I'll probably close it at the end of the week. Everything is optional and anonymous, but it's fascinating to read the results so far.**_

* * *

 **-won't ever be lonely-**

Cory Matthews walked along the street, the leaves were just starting to change color, the air had that crisp fall bite to it. He carried a bag of groceries, ready to chill out on the couch with a pile of history tests to grade while watching some college football.

Topanga would be in the kitchen preparing some sort of squash, that's just what she did on Saturday's during the fall. Cory would never tell her, but he loved her squash dishes, she understood how to cook it—unlike chicken. All these years and she still didn't know how to cook a chicken.

He went up the steps of his building, steps he'd been up and down probably a million times in his life. A door he'd gone through several times a day for the last thirty or so years. An elevator he rode up each day, that once as folklore went held a cow in exchange for his daughter's hand in marriage.

He chuckled to himself as he thought about his little girl, when she was in middle school, first discovering love. Riley fell for Lucas the day they met. He'd known he was in trouble the second the boy from Texas walked into his class room, the way he lit up when his eyes landed on Riley.

As he entered the apartment he didn't hear his wife humming as she cooked. He didn't smell the delicious scent of anything roasting in the oven.

The only sound Cory could hear was his heart pounding in his chest as he stepped into the apartment. The air still.

Something wasn't right.

"Topanga" he called out, the air around him growing heavy as he placed the grocery bag down on the kitchen table and moved towards the back of the house.

Silence surrounded him before he entered his bedroom, discovering his wife quickly packing their suitcases. "Topanga, what's going on?"

She jumped, not one to usually be startled, but she was when she heard her husband's voice. She'd been lost in her own mind since the phone call came. "Cory, we have to go to Texas."

"What happened?" his body felt heavy, they wouldn't be going to Texas out of the blue like this if something wasn't wrong.

Topanga rubbed her hands together before she reached for her husbands, "This morning, Riley and Gigi were going to supervise some work being done on the resort she bought. Gigi was driving, something went wrong with the brakes, and the car rolled over. Riley and Gigi are both still alive, but I can't sit here and worry about our girl, she's going to need us. So, I have us booked on a flight, I'm glad you got home when you did because we need to leave for the airport in a few minutes."

"Riley's hurt?"

Topanga simply nodded, "Zay was the one who called, he didn't have details. He just knows that Gigi was in surgery, Riley had gone to get a CT scan and was being admitted for observation."

* * *

Lucas didn't remember the drive over to the hospital. He could barely remember walking into the Emergency room. Time had stood still and was going at warp speed all at the same time. He and his parents were taken to a private waiting room, the walls a dusty rose pink, there wasn't enough room to pace as they waited for the doctors to come and tell them if his wife and sister were okay.

The door opened and a doctor slipped in wearing green scrubs. Lucas looked up recognizing him as Bill Drake, he'd gone to high school with him, played t-ball together.

"I'm Dr. Drake" he looked to the family, "You are the Friar family correct?" he watched as they nodded, "Gigi and Riley were brought in, both had lost consciousness at the scene but were awake when the paramedics brought them in. Gigi had some internal bleeding, she's up in the OR right now where they're working to stop it."

"And Riley?"

"Your wife sprained both ankles, her CT is clear, but we will have her stay for observation." Dr. Drake had looked at Lucas, though he felt confusion from his parents.

"If she only sprained her ankles, why is she staying for observation?"

Dr. Drake was silent for a moment, "I think Mrs. Friar would rather tell you herself. She's getting set up in a room right now, but as soon as she's set we'll bring you up to see her, and someone will be able to bring the two of you up to waiting area outside of surgery."

"Thank you, Dr. Drake." Lucas watched the gentlemen nod, "They're okay, though right?"

"They're lucky, and both very strong women." He gave a comforting smile knowing he couldn't make any promises, "If you have any questions you can have me paged." He explained just as his beeper went off.

He left and Lucas sank into the seat, what would Riley need to tell him?

"The girls are going to be fine." Grady reassured his son and wife.

Bonnie twisted the thin tissue in her hand, "Why did he keep calling Riley your wife? Did you not stop him so that you could find out how she's doing?"

Lucas sighed, "I don't want to talk about it right now Mom. I'm just glad that Gigi and Riley are alive."

The door opened, Deacon came in, "They told me I could find you guys here. How are they?"

"Gigi is in surgery to stop some internal bleeding." Grady explained, "Riley sprained both ankles and they want to keep her for observation."

The door opened, "Dr. Friar, we can take you up to see Mrs. Friar now." A young nurse, probably someone Gigi had grown up with was waiting.

"Thank you, great." Lucas rose, passing by his parents waiting until the door closed behind him, "Is my wife really okay?"

"She's doing very well." She gave him a smile, "She's a little anxious to see you."

Lucas followed her down the hall to the elevator, surprised to see what floor they stopped on, following her down the hall to a room, "She's in here."

"Thank you." He knocked on the door before opening it, finding Riley on the bed, hooked up to what appeared to be several monitors, her left ankle wrapped in an ace bandage, her right ankle sporting an Aircast. "Hey honey." He breathed for what felt like the first time since he found out about the accident, "What do we have here?"

Riley watched him, her heart picking up, "It looks much worse than it is."

Lucas sat in the chair next to her bed, "So is there something you want to tell me?"

She reached for his hand, taking a deep breath, "Um, when I um got brought in, the doctors discovered that, that I'm pregnant." She could see the confusion on his face, "I know this is a shock, the birth control I was on is the one they issued a recall for."

Lucas' lips quivered, he felt tears in brim his eyes, "You're pregnant?"

Riley nodded, "Yeah, things look good so far. Dr. McGuire needs to examine me first and they just want to monitor things for a while."

His hand slid over her abdomen, "We're having a baby." He cracked a smile.

She smiled, "Yeah, we are."

He sighed as he studied her, "What happened?"

"We were on our way to the resort, almost there. Gigi was driving." She chuckled, "the brakes went out, she couldn't stop, we rolled over. They told me she's in surgery."

Lucas reached up the brush the hair from her face, she had a few bruises, he was sure she probably had a bump on her head, "Yeah, internal bleeding they want to take care of."

"I just had the car checked out." Riley sighed, "They said everything was fine."

"Hey, don't worry about it, neither you or Gigi were drinking, or had been, and whatever the reason is we'll find out. I'm just thankful that you and Gigi are okay."

She held his hand tightly, "I thought it was over Lucas, I thought I saw you for the last time."

"You're not going anywhere, we have so much in front of us." He brought her hand to his lips, kissing it gently, "When the Sheriff's showed up at the door, I was terrified I lost you. So, try not to scare me like that again."

"I'll try."

* * *

Deacon sat in a waiting room with Bonnie and Grady, this was not how he'd wanted to meet her parents. The trio had barely said anything as they sat waiting for news.

The doors from the operating rooms opened, a man dressed in scrubs came out and over to them. "I'm Dr. Ian Cesternino, I operated on Gigi. We had to remove her spleen, but we were able to stop the bleeding inside, and she's doing well. She's in recovery right now but she will be moved to her room not long after."

"So, she'll be on antibiotics for life, right?" Deacon studied her parents, seeing their shoulders fall.

"Yes, she will," Dr. Cesternino looked over to the trio, "we will have information put together for Gigi to understand this new reality."

"How long will she be in the hospital?" Bonnie's words seemed small.

"We're looking at about a week, we need to monitor her and see how she's doing."

"When can we see her?" Deacon needed to see her.

"Soon, only one visitor at a time." The doctor explained.

"Thank you for taking care of my girl." Grady told him, choking up, relieved that Gigi was okay, that things looked positive.

"We'll send someone to get you when she's awake." The doctor left them alone.

Deacon collapsed into his seat, he couldn't explain in words what he'd felt when he heard about the accident. He'd been at Casey's, finishing breakfast. He'd done the weekend house calls for Lucas, he'd checked in with the office and no one was scheduled to be in.

When he got the call, it was like his world fell away as he threw cash down on the counter and tried to get out, knocking Dixie Carmichael to the ground on his way out. Something about the smirk she had, and the glare she gave him was unsettling.

He knew before this morning that he loved Gigi, he knew he wanted her in his life until he took his very last breath, but the moment he thought she might have taken hers, he didn't know if he'd be able to go on without her. She was his everything and he planned to make sure she knew that every day for the rest of her life.

"Gigi is ready to see one of you now." The same nurse that had brought Lucas to see Riley was in front of them, "Who's going first?"

Bonnie shook her head, yes she wanted to see her daughter, but after everything last night she wanted to wait just a little bit, let Gigi come out from the haze of surgery before she apologized.

Grady knew he couldn't leave Bonnie now, "Deacon, you go. Then we'll go in and see her."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, she'll want to see you." Bonnie gave him a soft smile, she could tell this young man loved her daughter.

"Okay then." Deacon go up, following the nurse to Gigi's room.

* * *

"Knock, knock" The voice was a little too cheerful as it entered Riley's room, holding her chart in front of her face. "I'm Dr. McGuire, I'm sorry I wasn't here a little earlier, I was delivering a baby."

"Rachel?"

"Aunt Rachel?"

The voices spoke at the same time, before looking to each other confused.

"Lucas," She smiled to her nephew and then her eyes fell upon Riley, "Riley Matthews?"

"Friar, now." Riley bit her lip.

Rachel stood at the foot of the bed, "I saw Gigi yesterday she told me the two of you are engaged."

Lucas rubbed the back of his neck, "We eloped a little over a month ago. Haven't told anyone yet."

"Ahh, okay then. I heard you had an exciting morning." Rachel prepared for the examination, "We you trying to get pregnant or was this a surprise."

"I'd been on ComHil for a while now."

Rachel nodded, "Yes, the recall. So, I'm just going to do an exam, see how things look so far, we'll do an ultrasound check and make sure everything looks good."

"Okay," Riley felt the nerves rise, she held Lucas' hand, answered any questions that Rachel had for her.

Rachel set up for the Ultrasound, "This gel will be warm, we'll be able to get an idea of how far along you are. Don't be nervous Riley, relax."

"I'm trying." Riley took a deep breath as Rachel got started, moving the wand around. Riley tried to understand what she saw on the screen but she really couldn't tell.

"Okay, looks like you're about nine weeks along." Rachel smiled as she looked at the screen, "Placenta looks intact."

"That's good, right?"

Lucas rubbed his thumb over her hand, "Ri, it's very good."

Rachel turned the volume up on the machine, "And those are the heartbeats."

Lucas snapped his head towards his Aunt, "Wait, did you say heartbeat or heartbeats?"

"Congratulations you two, it's twins." Rachel pointed to the screen, "We've got Baby A here and Baby B here."

"Twins?" Riley's eyes were wide, "As in two?"

"Yeah," Rachel set the picture to print and then turned off the monitor and removed the wand from Riley's abdomen. "Now, Riley, this is going to be difficult, but because of the accident, and that you're carrying twins, I want you on bedrest for a few weeks. I know, I know you can't walk very well, but even after that I want you in bed. I'll give you directions, for what you can and cannot do."

Riley sighed, "I understand, when can I get out of here?"

"Tomorrow I want to just keep an eye on you tonight." Rachel explained.

The door burst open behind them, "My baby girl!" Cory's voice cried.

"Daddy" Riley gulped, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, I tried to stop him, I said the doctor was with you but I couldn't stop him." A nurse was at the door.

"It's okay, we were just finishing up for now." Rachel turned to Cory, "Cory, she's fine. I promise."

Cory was about to speak, but was frozen in shock instead, "Rachel, what are you doing here?"

"Aunt Rachel, could you please explain how you knew Riley already and how you know her Dad?" Lucas was still unsure of what was happening around him, he was trying to process the fact that Riley wasn't carrying one child, but two.

"We went to college together Lucas, I was roommates with Cory's brother Eric." Rachel shook her head, "Cory, she's fine. She can tell you that herself."

Cory was about to agree with that when he spun to Rachel, "Why are you her doctor?"

"Daddy, I'm fine. I just sprained my ankles, I'm on some Tylenol. I'll be fine." Riley tried to reassure him.

"But she's a certain kind of doctor, a doctor that." He stopped looking at Lucas, "You, what did you do to my baby girl?"

Lucas sprang from his seat, dropping his wife's hand, "Mr. Matthews, Cory, Dad," before panic took over and he ran out of the room as Cory belly flopped on the floor trying to get his shoe.

Riley looked to Rachel as he father left the room, "So, those bedrest restrictions, can you limit who visits and for how long?"

Rachel chuckled, "If he doesn't calm down, I'll see what I can do." She took the picture from the machine, "This is for you and Lucas, we'll get you set up with everything before you're released."

"Thanks," Riley took a deep breath, "You know right before the accident, Gigi and I were talking about going to get a pregnancy test to find out. Do you know how she is?"

"She's okay, she's out of surgery, she'll be here for a little while though." Rachel gave her a soft smile, "I'm going to go make sure your father doesn't kill my nephew, but I'll be back later to check on you okay?"

"Yes, thank you." Riley leaned back on the bed, the afternoon sun coming in through the blinds as she was left alone.

Twins.

She and Lucas were going to have twins.

* * *

Deacon held Gigi's hand, she was waking up, but groggy from the drugs she'd been given so far, he could see her eyes foggy and confused. "Hey Sweetie, I'm here."

"Zay?"

His stomach dropped.

"It's Deacon, honey you're okay."

"I love you Zay." Gigi sighed as she closed her eyes again.

He waited a moment before a nurse came in to check something before he got up, the bile rising in his throat, his heart felt like it was twisting and tearing at the same time as he moved to the waiting room.

Zay was here now, with a woman he didn't recognize.

Deacon walked over, tapped Zay on the shoulder, "Babineaux." He was amazed he didn't throw up when he spoke as he watched the man turn to him.

"What's going on?" He asked, his face showing just how scared he was about Gigi being hurt.

He didn't need to hear the words. He knew it was true. Before he could have any thought, any clear moment to stop himself Deacon felt his fist make contact with Zay's face, before he fell backwards.

"Deacon," Grady gasped, "What's that about?"

"Stay away from Gigi." He warned Zay.

Zay stayed silent, he had no idea what brought this on, he just knew his face was radiating with a pain he hadn't felt before. "I don't know what you're talking about." He finally defended.

"Just stay away from her." Deacon warned before he shook Grady off him and stormed out of the waiting room.


	36. -the only one I dream of-

_**Author Note: Yay! This is done before 11:59pm…the things I promise when I'm falling asleep—yikes!  
Thanks to everyone who filled out the Reader Survey, I'm gonna close it and share any cool info like favorite multi-chapter, etc. Also thanks to everyone who voted in the poll about who Gigi should be with. I had a feeling Zay was going to win. I'll have a poll soon about the twins, so keep an eye out for that.  
I'll be around all of tonight (Saturday) so if you've got any questions/comments my ask box is open and Anon is on.  
Seriously you guys all rock.**_

* * *

 **-the only one I dream of-**

Lucas was thankful he caught an elevator when he did, and that he knew the hospital layout well enough to find the courtyard. He stopped to catch his breath, whatever secrets he and Riley had would be out soon. Not that any of it was ever meant to really be a secret. Just that they wanted to wait so they didn't favor one set of parents over the other.

It took him a moment before he heard the muffled cries. He looked around expecting to find a young child, a grieving mother, instead he found Deacon.

His stomach sank as he moved towards the younger man, "Deacon, what's wrong?"

"I love her." His words staggered, hanging in the air, "I would do anything I can to make her happy. I'll wipe her tears away when she's crying, hold her when she's sad. I want to have children with her."

"You'll have that." Lucas sat next to him on the bench.

"She came out of the surgery." Deacon's voice was slow, "Your parents thought I should be the one to see her."

"Then why are you out here, rubbing your fist?"

"She started to wake up, she, she said I love you Zay." Deacon released a breath, "I was so hurt I left the room and went to the waiting room, Zay was there, I punched him, told him to stay away from Gigi."

Lucas took this all in, "She was coming out from the drugs, right? She might not know what she was saying. Besides nothing has ever happened with Zay and Gigi."

Deacon studied his fist, "How can you be so sure?"

"I can't, but Gigi is engaged to you. She's not chasing after Zay, she goes to you." Lucas wasn't sure, he had no idea what was or wasn't happening with his baby sister and his best friend, but he didn't think Deacon needed anymore doubt now.

"Why are you out here? Is Riley okay?"

"She's fine, just sprained her ankles. I had to hide from her Dad, he wanted to steal my shoes." He chuckled at it now, but he knew when he went back inside he'd have to tell his family the truth.

"Then she'll be released soon, right?"

"They uh, want to keep her for observation." Lucas looked back towards the door, "Calm down, come back inside, go see Gigi, you'll see when she looks at you that she loves you."

"Thanks Lucas, good luck with Riley's Dad."

Lucas nodded, taking a deep breath of fresh air before heading back in to face his family.

* * *

Cory came into the waiting room, "Okay, where is he?" No one answered it, it took him a moment to realize that Zay had an ice pack on his face, Bonnie and Grady weren't in the room.

"Who, Cory, what is wrong with you?" Topanga questioned her husband, seeing the frazzled energy vibrating off his body.

"Lucas" He looked at Zay, "You, you know what he did to my baby girl?"

Zay stared at his former teacher confused, "Man I don't know what's going on. Gigi's fiancé just attacked me."

Cory crinkled his nose in confusion, "Texas is a weird place, we never should've let Riley come down here. Terrible things happen in Texas."

Topanga rolled her eyes, "Did you see Riley?"

"Yeah, I saw her." He threw his hands up in the air shaking them as if trying to mimic spirit fingers. "She's fine, well except for what Lucas did to her."

Topanga pinched the bridge of her nose as she took a deep breath, "Cory, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Hey everyone." Lucas came in, moving quickly past Cory and going over to Zay, "I see Deacon did a number on you."

Zay took the ice pack off, "Yeah, I don't know why."

Lucas looked at his friend, "I think you do know."

"Hey, you, we gotta talk about what you did to my daughter." Cory tapped Lucas on the shoulder as Topanga tried to pull him back.

Lucas sighed as he spun around, "I promise it's not what you think Mr. Matthews, as soon as my parents are back, we'll all go talk to Riley."

Topanga studied him, "What do we need your parents for to see Riley?"

"Because we just do." He glanced at his watch, it was still the afternoon, even though the day felt like it had been a week long already.

* * *

"You're going to be okay." Grady looked at his daughter, "Your Mom is outside waiting to come in. I think you have every right to be mad at her."

"How's Riley?" Gigi's voice was a whisper.

"Sprained her ankles she's fine." Grady squeezed his daughter's hand, "Deacon came in earlier."

"He did?"

Grady nodded, "Yeah, he did. I'll send him back in when your Mom is done with you."

"Thank you." Gigi couldn't believe that Deacon had left, how could that be possible.

He kissed her forehead, "Mom will be right in."

She nodded quietly before he left, she wasn't sure she really wanted to see her mother, but she needed her at the same time.

Gigi bit her lip as she waited, trying to ready herself for what was about to come.

Bonnie slipped into the room, staying by the door for a moment, "Oh my baby" before she rushed across the room, holding onto Gigi, tightly but still gently, "I'm so sorry for what I said last night, I'm so glad you're okay."

"What was with you?"

Bonnie pulled away, brushing Gigi's hair away from her face, "I just let a little bug get in my ear and didn't trust you or your brother to make the right decisions."

Gigi grimaced at the foggy feeling in her body, "What did they do to me?"

"They took out your spleen, and stopped a bunch bleeding inside of you. They'll explain when you're a bit more coherent, I'm just so glad you're alive."

"I want to see Deacon."

Bonnie nodded, "I'll see if I can get him in here okay."

"Thank you."

Bonnie smoothed Gigi's hair one last time before leaving the room, guilt still crashing over her body.

When she returned to the waiting room Deacon still wasn't there. "Oh, Deacon is still gone, Gigi wanted to see him."

Zay tossed the ice bag in his hands, "I'll let him know if he shows back up, Lucas wants you all to go talk to Riley."

Lucas looked to his friend, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, go do whatever it is you need you to do." Zay sighed sitting back in the chair.

"Okay then, Mom, Dad, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, come with me." Lucas gave his friend a thankful, but warning look as he guided the parents out.

* * *

Riley's eyes darted around the room, her phone destroyed, she couldn't get out of bed even if she wanted to so here she was stuck. The channel selection on the TV left her with almost nothing to watch, to try and ease her mind as she worried about what was happening with Lucas, her father, Gigi, all while also trying to let it sink in that she was not only pregnant, but expecting twins.

The door opened, Lucas slipped in and leaned against it, "So, um Thanksgiving was a wonderful idea, but I don't think we can wait. Especially since you know."

Riley sighed, "Our parents are outside? Great your mother thinks I'm a gold-digger, now she'll think I trapped you."

Lucas smirked, "Oh yeah, um apparently Dixie got that all in her head, she snapped out of it when Dixie was at the house today."

"That bitch was at our house?"

"Yeah, we'll discuss that later. Right now, if I don't let them in your Dad is going to drive the entire staff insane."

"Let's do this." She took a deep breath, adjusting the blankets around her before he opened the door.

It was like a wave crashing against the shore at high tide as the energy in the room changed.

"Are you okay honey?" Topanga immediately moved to her side, glancing at the monitor Riley was hooked up tp.

"I'm fine, just some sprained ankles." Riley gave a nervous smile.

"Then what's the monitor for?" Grady looked around the room,

Before they could answer the door opened, a nurse came in, "Okay Mrs. Friar, it's time for some Tylenol."

"Thank you" Riley could feel all the eyes on her, she could see Lucas smirk from behind their parents.

Once the nurse left all eyes were on Riley.

"Why do they keep calling you Mrs. Friar?" Bonnie looked at the young woman in the bed.

"Because that's who she is." Lucas spoke proudly, already feeling the heat of anger coming from his father-in-law.

"Lucas and I got married in August, we had a ceremony in the Grand Canyon with Gigi and Zay as our witnesses." Riley explained to the shocked faces all around.

"You married my daughter?" Cory hissed.

Lucas nodded, "Yes Sir, I love her and I plan to be with her forever."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Topanga studied Riley, knowing there was more.

"We just wanted it to be between us for now. We also didn't want to play favorites and tell you at separate times, we wanted to tell you together." She folded her hands together, "I just went and had my name changed and everything."

"Why is Rachel your doctor?"

Lucas moved past the parents and sat on Riley's other side, "Well I hope that you're all ready to become Grandparents."

"You got my daughter pregnant!" Cory growled.

"Cory chill out, it's Riley and Lucas, you knew this was coming eventually. Sit down." Topanga shot her husband a warning look.

"So, um yeah, found out for sure in the ER this morning." Riley confessed, "Actually I was talking to Gigi about getting a pregnancy test on our way home from the resort today. But yeah, so the babies seem to be okay."

"Babies? As in more than one?" Topanga blinked.

"Twins" Lucas looked at the stunned faces around him, "She's on bedrest the next few weeks just to make sure she takes it easy."

"Wait, hold up" Grady looked around at everyone, "You got married and now you're having twins? Were you planning to tell us you were married?"

"We were going to tell you on Thanksgiving." Riley felt a weight she hadn't realized she'd been carrying lift from her.

"Are you two sure you're financially secure to have twins right now?" Grady's face fell with concern.

Lucas chuckled, "Yeah, we're very good on money."

"Yeah, we're set." Riley assured their parents, "We've got Lucas' practice, his share of The Wild Z, we've got the resort we're opening, and more than enough in savings to send these two to college and any others that come along later."

"You own a resort?" Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, that's where she and Gigi were going, it's in the middle of renovations."

"We're not going to meet the New Year's deadline if I can't be on site." Riley sighed.

"Riley don't worry about that." Lucas took her hand, "We'll figure something out."

"We can help." Bonnie stood tall, "You need someone at the site, right? Well we can be there, connect via video call so that you can make the important decisions, as long as Rachel—who better be your doctor says that's okay."

Confusion twisted Riley's face, "You would do that?"

"Yeah we would." Topanga smiled, "You need help, and what are parents for?"

"Don't any of you have work?"

"Retired" Grady beamed.

"I'm senior partner, I can take time off, especially when my daughter needs me." Topanga reminded her.

"I have plenty of time I can take off to be here with you." Cory reminded her.

"Besides, Riley has a deadline, you have an election to win and she as well as Gigi need us." Bonnie reminded them all.

"We don't want you putting your lives on hold for us." Lucas insisted.

"Lucas, we are going to help out with whatever we can and that's the final decision." Bonnie stood firm, Lucas knew that he wasn't going to be able to say otherwise.

* * *

Deacon finally returned to the waiting room, finding only Zay. He bit the inside of his cheek as he looked at the older man. Was something going on with Gigi and Zay? Was that why she'd suggested Zay and Gloria May the night before for a partner swap. His stomach turned as he looked at him, "Where is everyone?"

"Lucas took them to see Riley," Zay kept his distance, "Gigi wants to see you, Bonnie said she asked for you."

Deacon felt his hands clench into fists, "Have you been in to see her."

"No" it was one word, but it carried a lot of meaning.

"Good, stay away from her." Deacon warned once more before leaving. His stomach twisting as he made his way back to her room, he tried to let the anger drain from his face, yet he knew he couldn't hide the way his heart was breaking.

He took a deep breath and walked in, Gigi was laying in bed, holding a blanket tightly, a frown on her face. "Hey" he spoke softly looking at her as she lit up when she saw him, the way her frown twisted into a smile.

"What took so long? I asked to see you ages ago." Gigi's eyes were clouded with sadness.

Deacon sat next to her, "I um was here earlier, you weren't exactly awake yet, I um, I needed some air."

Gigi grabbed his hand, "When the car was rolling over, when I couldn't stop it, all I could think was please God let me see Deacon again, let me tell him how much I love him."

"Really?" he was trying to fight back the love washing over his body.

She nodded gently, "I love you Deacon, I don't think I realized just how much until I almost died."

He gave her a stilted smile, "And Zay, do you love him?"


	37. -crying at night-

_**Author Note: Well I hope you guys all enjoyed Confetti, if you want more fics like that please let me know and I might not hold back on some stuff. Sorry it's so slow between chapters, we're preparing to move (yes again, ugh I know!), and I've got baby-sitting duty often so I've got my hands a bit full sometimes.**_

* * *

 **-crying at night-**

Gigi had never seen such fear in Deacon's eyes before. She wished she could sit up and pull him to her, hold him close instead all she could do was grip his hand, hope he wouldn't leave her. "I thought I was, but I'm not."

"How do you know?" His mouth was tight, but his words shook.

"When I almost died, I only thought of you, not him." She was sure she could feel his hand pulling away.

Deacon tried to process it all, he still had questions he had to ask, answers he didn't want but needed. "Did anything ever happen between you and Zay?"

Her eyes looked down to their hands, "Deacon" she felt her eyes burn with tears, "do we have to do this right now?"

He pulled his hand away only to be stopped by her tightening the grip. "Gigi, I need to know what we're working through."

She closed her eyes for a moment before looking up at the ceiling, wondering who thought these awful corkboard looking tiles were an innovative idea. "Before you asked me out, I threw myself at Zay a couple of times. He told me no, because I was Lucas' baby sister." She paused, "But this one time, we were at the bar, I kissed him, and we started to fool around."

Deacon felt his stomach drop, "How far Gigi?"

She shut her eyes tightly, "He went down on me."

"Before or after we got engaged?"

"That day."

Deacon could feel the bile rising in his throat, pulling his hand away. "You crawled into my bed, made love to me, after he did that to you? You asked me to be your husband after that?"

"Deacon" she reached for him but he kept his hand too far away now.

"What else do I not know Gigi, is that it?"

She sighed, that sound alone told him it was more still.

"Did you fuck him?"

She couldn't find the strength in her heart to say it out loud.

"When Gigi" Deacon turned to look at him, wondering if he could really continue to love her now that he knew the truth.

"In Vegas, the night Riley and Lucas got married."

Deacon rose from his seat, going to the window, looking out at the parking lot. "You fucked him while engaged to me." His voice was cold but steady, "Just last night you suggested him and Gloria May in a couple's swap. How can I not believe that you aren't hung up on him still?"

"I'm not hung up on him, I want you Deacon."

He looked over seeing the tears falling from her eyes, "I wanted you Gigi, only you. I love you, only you."

"I love you Deacon, I want to be with you. I want to have kids with you. I know that now." She reached up to wipe her tears away, only to feel Deacon do it first.

Before he could say anything, hint at anything his phone rang, he sighed as he answered it, his words stilted as he spoke before hanging up. "I have to go, I'm on-call today, and I'm needed."

"You'll be back later?" she needed to have hope.

"I don't know." Was all he could tell her, it was all he knew—that he didn't know. Automatically he kissed her forehead before he left her room.

Gigi closed her eyes, this felt more painful watching Deacon leave than the accident or anything else had.

* * *

"Excuse me" a nurse popped her head into Riley's room, "Dr. Friar, the sheriff would like to speak with you."

"I'll be right back" Lucas kissed Riley's forehead, still feeling the glare from her father as both sets of parents quickly started to fawn over her.

He stepped into the hall, the sheriff waiting for him was an older man he recognized as sheriff Monroe, "What's up Sir?"

"Dr. Friar, it appears that someone tampered with the brakes on your wife's car." He swallowed hard.

Lucas closed his eyes, he'd feared this much to be true, "Do you know who did it?"

"We have a suspect in custody."

"Dixie Carmichael, right?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"She's the only person who doesn't like Riley." Lucas looked towards the door, "Dixie tried to kill my wife, my sister, and my unborn children."

"Your wife is pregnant?"

"Twins, they appear to be fine so far, but if anything happens to them because of what Dixie did…"

"We'll add this to the charges against her."

"How did you know it was Dixie?"

"We received about two dozen tips via our office as soon as word of the accident got out. First call was Old Joe who is always at Casey's. He said, ' _If something happened to the Vet's fiancée it had to be because of that awful Dixie Carmichael_.' We got a few more calls like that so we went to talk to her."

"She was bragging, wasn't she?"

"Gloating that Riley got what was coming to her. I'm sorry, but she's in custody, she did lawyer up already, but you and your family have a right to know."

Lucas paced a few steps one way, and then a few steps back several times, "Who does something like this?"

"I wish I could give you an answer that would help you find peace with this situation, but I don't." The sheriff rubbed his neck, "Your wife and sister are both okay, you say your babies are okay, right?"

"Considering what happened, yes." Lucas sighed, "Riley's only crime was me loving her. Dixie has had it in her head for years now that I was going to marry her, but I was never interested in her. I never hinted to her that I was."

"I'll get the additional charges added, and I'll keep you up to date with what's happening."

"Will she be released on bail?"

The sheriff sighed, "First time she's been in trouble with the law, has family here, probably."

"We're going to need a restraining order then."

"I'll see what we can do for you. When will your wife and sister be released?"

Lucas looked to Riley's door, "Riley tomorrow, they want to monitor the babies tonight, just to be sure everything is okay. Gigi she'll be here about a week, she had her spleen removed."

"If she gets out on bail, I'll at the very least make sure the you've got police protection at home for your wife."

"Thank you, I should get back in there, our parents might be driving her crazy."

"Of course." The sheriff tipped his hat to Lucas as he went back into the room.

Lucas could feel all the eyes on him when he went back in. He rubbed his hands together, trying to find the right words for this. "Um, I was talking to the sheriff, and um, they believe that Dixie Carmichael did something to Riley's car. That's why the brakes went out, they have enough evidence that she's already been brought in and lawyered up."

"Who the hell is Dixie Carmichael?" Topanga's eyes were burning with the rage only a mother could have.

Bonnie felt her stomach drop, a mixture of anger and disgust. "A desperate little bitch, who is full of lies and delusions."

Grady shot his wife a warning look.

"She's this woman who Lucas has never shown any interest in, but she thinks that if I just were to vanish that he would drop to his knees and worship her." Riley explained as she tried to stretch her body, feeling the stiffness start to settle in.

Cory scoffed, "Please Lucas only has eyes for you. Always has, always will." Everyone looked at Cory confused. "What, it's true. I know the story."

"So, Dixie's crazy enough that she tried to kill me?" Riley looked to her husband.

"You are going to be safe, I already talked to the sheriff, she won't get near you again." Lucas sat in the empty chair next to his wife, taking her hand. "Not that I plan on letting you out of my sight for very long."

Riley sighed, "So, as much as I love all of you, where are you all staying?"

"We hadn't even thought about that." Topanga confessed.

"We just got on a plane and got out here as soon as we could." Cory added.

"If Zay is staying at his apartment above the bar, instead of the house your parents could maybe stay in his room." Lucas suggested.

"Yeah, I would say the resort would work, but none of the guest rooms are set yet." Riley sighed, "This is such a mess."

"It's not your fault." Bonnie sighed, "It's mine for not realizing what a delusional bitch she was."

Topanga's eyes darted to Dixie, "What did you do Bonnie?"

Bonnie felt a chill ripple through her body as Topanga glared at her. "I didn't know the gold-digger that Dixie was talking about was Riley until we got to Texas, and then I was disgusted that Riley would be after Lucas' money."

"Riley doesn't need Lucas' money!" Topanga moved towards Bonnie, "You helped encourage this crazy woman and _both_ our daughters ended up hurt."

"I know that Topanga, I've seen what this did to Gigi, what this has done to Riley." Bonnie tried to stand up to Topanga, but she was shaking.

"You are lucky they both lived." Topanga warned.

"Mom, now is not the time for this." Riley reminded her, "All of you out. You're stressing me and the babies out."

It was as though that was the magic phrase to shut both sets of parents up, to refocus them.

"Seriously, go get dinner, complain you weren't invited to the wedding, fight over who gets to be called what, just not in here." Riley rubbed her shoulder before feeling Lucas replace her hand with his.

"I can't believe Maya didn't tell us you got married." Topanga sighed.

"Maya doesn't know." Riley watched her mother's eyes grow wide.

"Wait, we know before Maya?"

"Yeah, you do."

Cory grabbed the wall, "This has never happened before, Topanga, Maya isn't in the loop but we are."

Riley rolled her eyes as Lucas chuckled, "You guys, she'll probably tell Maya soon."

"Yeah, I would've had her on the phone if I still had a phone."

"I'll get you a new one." Lucas promised, "Okay parents, out. Mom, Dad, check in with Zay, then take them back to the ranch and get settled."

"After I check on Gigi again." Bonnie insisted.

"Let Gigi rest, I'll check on her a little later, I promise." Lucas gave his parents a warning look to get out.

"Fine, let's go." Grady knew they had overstayed their welcome, and after what happened earlier with Deacon he figured he was either with Gigi or Zay was, and he hoped that Zay wasn't.

Riley mumbled goodbyes to their parents, feeling exhausted after everything. "That was too much for one day."

Lucas took her hand, "Yeah, I'm so sorry this happened."

"You're not a crazy psycho bitch, and I don't think your Mom is to blame either. This is all on Dixie." Riley rested her hand over her abdomen, "I'm just thankful these two are okay."

Lucas smiled, "Twins, okay boys, you're going to have to be good to your Mommy."

"What makes you think it's not girls?" She looked at him with a hooked eyebrow.

"Could you imagine me the father of twin girls?"

"Yeah, actually I can." She shifted, trying to get comfortable, gasping when she tried to move her ankle, "I am not ready for two weeks of bed rest."

"You'll do fine, you'll be pampered."

"Or I'll be the witness to my mother killing yours." She cringed.

"We'll keep them on separate projects." He promised.

"Lucas" she looked at her husband.

"Yeah Ri?"

"This is terrifying, all of this."

"You and Gigi are going to be okay."

"I know that Lucas." She rolled her eyes, "Us, living with both our parents, and expecting twins. Plus, your sister, and technically Zay all living under one roof."

"I love you, we'll make this work, we'll figure this out."

"Thankfully I believe you."

* * *

Zay waited for Deacon to leave, and then waited to speak to the Friars and the Matthews about who was sleeping where. Yes, he would be at the apartment over the bar, yes Topanga and Cory could use his room.

Lucas hadn't come back from Riley's room, and he knew visiting hours would be over soon so he took a deep breath and made his way to Gigi's room.

Zay knocked on the door before letting himself in. Gigi lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling before looking towards the door after a moment and then back to the ceiling.

"Hey Gigi" He came in, coming to the bed, "I've been so worried about you."

"You don't have to be Zay." She sighed, "You shouldn't be here."

"Where else would I be?" He reached for her hand but she pulled it away, "Gigi?"

"I don't want to see you." She gently wrapped her arms around herself, "Do you know where Deacon is?"

"No, I don't." Zay studied her, "Gigi, I have to say something."

"Don't Zay, please don't."

"I love you."

The words she had longed to hear, pleaded with him to say, now sounded bitter to her soul, "You're too late Zay."

He didn't understand, "What do you mean?"

She blinked, "I love Deacon, I want to be with Deacon."

"But Gigi," he started but he could see on her face it was too late. "What changed?"

"I realized that I can't live without Deacon, I can live without you."

His entire body felt heavy, he'd almost lost her, she'd almost died this morning, Deacon hit him because she said she loved him, she loved Zay. "You can't mean that Gigi, we can figure this out. I don't want to live in a world without you."

"I'll be in the world Zay, I just won't be some girl looking at you with puppy dog eyes, begging you for scraps that you're barely willing to give."

"Oh Gigi, baby, it wasn't like that." He took her hand and covered his heart, "I am insanely in love with you, it took more strength then I knew I had to turn you down over and over again. I wanted you, I still want you. I need you. Gigi, baby, that night in Vegas, I told myself I could live off that night the rest of my life, but I can't."

"No Zay, you don't get to do this now. I put myself on the line for you over and over again. I'm done." Her voice was harsh, "I gave myself to you on a platter and you pushed me away. I don't want a lifetime of that, I don't deserve a lifetime of that. Deacon he loves me, and I love him. I want to be with Deacon, I love Deacon."

Zay was silent, "I'll remember this when you come back to me, and want me. I won't give in again."

"I won't come back to you Zay. I'm going to fight for my future with Deacon."

"Is that what he wants?"

"If it wasn't, he wouldn't have punched you." She ran her hand in her hair, "You need to go Zay, I don't want Deacon to see you here, and I don't want you here."

"Fine, goodbye Gigi." He moved to the door looking back, "I do love you, I always did, I was just scared of what it meant."

"Whatever" she turned her head away, feeling a pain in her chest, but also as if a weight had been lifted from her at the same time.

* * *

"Okay fine, then get me the top lawyer from our office in Austin." Topanga shook her head as she paced on the porch as she spoke on the phone, "Tell him that Topanga Matthews wants to speak with him so he should be calling my phone in less than two minutes from now. Goodbye."

Grady watched as she collapsed onto the porch swing, "What are you getting a lawyer for?"

"Civil suit against Dixie Carmichael, and to add pressure to the local DA to make sure that Dixie gets the maximum sentence." She sighed, "Riley is an adult, hell she's married, and having twins, but she's still my daughter and I want to do what I can to protect her."

"I get it." Grady sat next to her, "That's all any of us want. God, twins, these two are not ready for that."

"They're not ready for anything, rushing into a marriage, and not inviting any of us, who does that?"

Grady chuckled, "Two kids desperately in love, and that's what they've always been."

"That's true," Topanga looked out at the property, "It's beautiful here."

"Yeah, a nice place to retire, though I think Bonnie misjudged how welcome we would be to move back in."

"This property is huge, you'll figure something out. Plus, Riley owns the property right next door."

"I'm sure we'll all figure it out." He sighed as her phone rang and she sprinted up to answer it. He listened as she commanded the attention of the lawyer and made sure he would be here in the morning with any potential paperwork that would need to be filed.

* * *

"Hey Gigi" Lucas came in to see his sister, "I heard you had a rough day."

"Car accident, surgery, everything with Deacon and Zay." She sighed looking at her brother, "Where's Riley?"

"She has to spend the night." He sat in the seat next to her bed.

"They told me she only sprained her ankles, why is she staying overnight?"

"Well, um, they're monitoring the babies, making sure they're okay before she gets released in the morning." He watched as she comprehended what he said, "I hope you're ready to be Aunt Gigi, because in like seven months you'll have a set of twins who are going to adore you."

"She's pregnant? We were going to pick up a test." Gigi sighed.

"It's not your fault, Gi, Dixie tampered with the car."

Her eyes went wide, "What the fuck?"

Lucas shook his head, "I don't have the details, but apparently she's already in custody, she'll have four charges of attempted homicide on you, Riley, and the twins. Plus, maybe some other stuff, I don't know for sure."

"Wow, hopefully now Mom sees what a crazy bitch Dixie is."

"Oh yeah don't worry she does." Lucas brushed the hair away from Gigi's forehead, "So, You and Zay, is that a thing?"

"I love Deacon, I want to be with Deacon. I chased after Zay like a puppy dog, even when he turned me away again and again. I'm done with that, when I thought I was going to die, I thought about Deacon, not Zay."

Lucas nodded, "You and Deacon will figure this out."

"Thanks Lucas" She gave her brother a smile, "Did Mom and Dad go home?"

"Yeah, had to kick them and Riley's parents out. They were driving her crazy with talk about the babies and everything."

"I guess your secret is out now huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so." He looked at his sister, no longer a little girl, now a woman, "And so are yours."

"Deacon hates me."

"He doesn't, he loves you, he's hurt, but he loves you."

"Do you think I've lost him?"

The door opened, Deacon was standing there and Lucas smiled at his sister, "No, we're in room 472 if you need anything okay. Get some rest."

"Thanks Lucas" Gigi watched her brother leave and Deacon come back in, taking the seat, her brother had just left, "Hi Deacon."

"I didn't want you to be alone." He confessed, but kept silent that he didn't want to be alone either, worrying about her.

"I'm glad you're here." She took his hand, "I love you, and I know maybe right now you don't believe me, or you don't trust it, but I'm going to do anything and everything I can to make you stop questioning that."

Deacon closed his eyes, trying to ignore the fact that her words were already tearing down the wall he was trying to put up, "Just rest Gigi, I'll be here, just rest."


	38. -must be doing something right-

_**Author Note: My dear sweet readers, I am so very sorry that this chapter has taken so very long to get out. A whole month! Yikes! I want to say thank you to everyone who sent messages on Tumblr, Instagram asking about updates. I wish I could've replied to the ones on FF, but they were all guests so I couldn't :(**_ _ **. Also thank you to everyone who sent in dreamcasts/fancasts for the characters. It has been fascinating to see who you all picture as not just Riley, Lucas, Gigi, and Zay, but also Deacon, Dixie, and Gloria May, etc.**_

 _ **I appreciate your support, and passion for this story in more ways than you will ever know, or I could ever put into words. Thank you for still be interested in Thunder Chasing The Wind, and anything else I've written. You guys are amazing and really turn a difficult day good. xoxoxo**_

* * *

 **-must be doing something right-**

Lucas' neck was stiff as he woke up, looking over to see Riley asleep on the hospital bed, the monitors keeping an eye on the twins growing inside of her. In the moment she looked peaceful, and his heart ached, wanting to protect her from everything awful that could ever happen to her and their children.

She was the kindest person he knew, she radiated with positivity even in the darkest moments. How could anyone want to hurt her?

He wasn't worthy of her, he'd been a jerk to women for years—was this karma? He'd had a wall up, but of course she could come in and start to pull it down as if it was made of straw and sticks, not bricks.

He checked the time on his phone, it wasn't too early, he figured the doctors would in soon for morning rounds. He pushed himself up, stretching before gently kissing her forehead, trying not to wake her up before he left to check on his sister.

When he opened the door of her room he saw Deacon twisted in the chair next to Gigi's bed, holding her hand. He still wasn't sure what was going on with his sister, but he had a feeling that whatever confusion she had been feeling was gone, now she would have to fight for what she wanted.

He rubbed the stiffness in his neck as he walked down the hall to the elevator. He knew that no matter how knotted up his own body was, it was nothing compared to what Riley and Gigi would be feeling over the next few days and weeks to come as they recovered.

The morning sun was blinding after hours in the hospital. He got in his truck, sitting for a moment behind the wheel before grabbing a tin of mints and chomping down on the strong candy knowing it was no replacement for brushing his teeth. He pulled his seatbelt on before starting the engine. The radio was off and he was thankful for the silence as he drove into town, it was early enough downtown was quiet as he drove past Casey's, his office, the Wild Z. He parked in front of the MinkCell store, thankful that they always opened early and stayed open late, even on a Sunday.

"Dr. Friar, let me guess you're here to replace some phones." The clerk put his own phone down on the counter as Lucas looked around a little bit.

"Yeah, I wanted to get replacements for Gigi and Riley. They're going to go a bit stir-crazy if they don't have them soon."

"I'm sorry to hear about what happened to them." He told Lucas as he pulled something up on the computer, "Riley did come in just the other day and made sure your account and hers were merged, so that's one less headache."

Lucas couldn't help but smile, "She would think of that."

"Give me just a minute, I'm going to grab the phones from the back."

"Take your time." Lucas didn't really want him to, he wanted to get back to the hospital before Riley woke up. He wandered around the shop, looking at the different accessories, picking up two Bluetooth speakers, extra chargers, when the clerk came out with the phones.

"Okay, I've got one in silver for Gigi and one in the rose gold for Riley." The clerk started setting everything up in the computer, glancing up at Lucas every so often. "How are they?"

"Riley thankfully just sprained her ankles, Gigi had to have her spleen removed." Lucas reached over grabbing clear cases for the phones.

"Okay, both phones should be ready to go. If you've got problems with either of them bring them back of course."

"Great, and I'll take the rest of this stuff."

"Sure thing." He rang Lucas up, accepting the credit card before packing everything up into two bags.

"Thanks, have a good day." Lucas called out as he left the shop, dropping the phones off in his truck before making a quick stop into Casey's ordering a couple of breakfasts to go. He had a feeling that Gigi would be on a very restricted diet, but Deacon would have to eat something and probably hadn't.

"How are the girls Doc?" Old Joe called out when he came in.

"They're doing better." He sat at the counter next to the older man, "It might take them a little while before they're up and around again though."

Old Joe sipped his coffee, "It's a shame what happened, neither deserve it."

"No, they didn't" Lucas placed his order, looking around realizing how empty it was this early in the morning.

"They're alive, they'll survive, they are both fighters."

"Thanks Joe." Lucas looked up, "I just wish they had never gotten hurt."

"Things happen for a reason," Joe set his coffee down, "the reason isn't always clear though, you may never understand why."

Lucas was silent, absorbing the older man's words as his order was brought out and he paid. "Have a good day Joe."

"You as well Doc."

Lucas gave him a friendly wave before he left, breathing in the fresh fall morning air before getting back in the truck and returning to the hospital. He went by Gigi's room first, she was awake, sitting up. Deacon was in the chair next to the bed watching her as she stared at the breakfast in front of her. "Hey, I bring gifts."

Gigi glanced at her brother, she could smell the food he had with her, "I hate you."

"Sorry Gi, the food is for Deacon, but this is for you." He handed her the bag with the cellphone.

Gigi looked at it, "What is this?"

"New phone and accessories. Both yours and Riley's got destroyed."

"Thank you, Lucas."

"You're welcome sis." He kissed the top of her head, "Deacon, eat, I know you haven't since yesterday."

"Yes boss." Deacon accepted the food, "Thank you."

"Just take care of Gigi."

Deacon looked over to her, "I will." The weight of the words filling the room.

"Good, I got to get back to Riley." He left, feeling less tension when he was out of the room, but he had a feeling that maybe they were on the right path after the extreme emotions of the day before.

Outside of Riley's room Lucas took a deep breath, hoping she wasn't going to be mad at him for leaving. When he looked in, he saw she was sitting up in the bed, trying to find something to watch on the TV but obviously nothing was catching her attention. He slowly came in and over to the bed, placing the bag with her new phone next to her.

Riley looked over, her eyes narrowing on him. "Where did you go?"

"To get you something, but if you don't want it I can take it back." He reached for the bag but she snatched it before he could take it back. He couldn't help but smile.

Riley opened the bag, pulling out the new phone, "Lucas, you didn't have to do this."

"Your phone and Gigi's were destroyed. Insurance will cover them. Besides, don't you want to call Maya and tell her you're okay, married, and going to be a mother?" He sat down pulling out the breakfast he'd picked up.

"I feel like waiting on that, at least until we get home." She reached into his takeout container, snagging a piece of bacon. "Rachel already came in, everything looks good. She's already getting papers ready for my release."

"Good" he leaned over and took a bite out of the bacon she had snagged, "Deacon is with Gigi, but I think when we get home we should send my parents to come relieve him for a few hours, relieve her since things are tense."

Riley nodded, "Good idea, we should um, also tonight show the parents our wedding video. You know after we make a nice dinner."

"You are going straight to bed when we get home." He reminded her, "I'm going to have to carry you up the stairs silly woman. You can't walk."

Riley looked down at her ankles, "True, but two weeks in bed?"

"That's what Aunt Rachel said, so that's what you're going to do for you and the babies."

"Well you two, let's hope that Daddy, Grandma's, Grandpa's and anyone else don't drive Mommy crazy these next two weeks.

Lucas felt his smile grow as she spoke to their unborn children, "Another reason to get you a phone, you can call Maya and the two of you can drive each other crazy while on bedrest."

"You know she's going to freak out when she finds out I got married without her."

"I'm sure she'll blame me." He held out a piece of whole wheat toast for her which she gladly accepted.

"Do you think our parents survived the night in the house?"

"I don't know, I really don't." Lucas sighed, "We'll find out soon enough I think."

"Can we just run away?"

"No, well yeah we probably could but that won't solve anything."

* * *

Topanga watched as the BMW drove down the drive way, parking under the oak tree while she sat on the porch. She watched as the young man got out, and when she thought young he was just shy of forty. His pitch-black hair perfectly combed into place, he wore a mint green polo shirt, and dark khaki pants. He appeared to be stepping out of a catalogue as he grabbed his briefcase from the backseat of his car.

Topanga moved down the front steps to greet him, "Eddie, it's so good to see you. I'm glad they sent you."

"Well when Topanga Matthews says she needs a lawyer here in Texas, I will gladly drop everything. Besides I have a client here in Rosewood Springs anyways." He was friendly as they greeted.

"Who would that be?"

He paused for a moment thinking of the name, "Dixie Carmichael, her Uncle called to hire me yesterday." He noticed immediately that her body posture changed. "What's wrong?"

"The woman she tried to murder is my daughter."

His stomach flipped, knotting itself up as he absorbed this additional information, "I had no idea."

Topanga nodded, "I called for you because I want to make sure that Riley, her sister-in-law, and the rest of her family are protected."

Eddie pinched the bridge of his nose, "I haven't met with her yet, but this would be a conflict of interest to take her case. You did get to me first. And you are my boss."

"Good" She kept her arms crossed over her chest, "When are you supposed to meet with her?"

"In an hour, but I bet you want to go with me."

"I do, but I don't think it's appropriate." Topanga moved to sit on the steps, "I don't know the whole story Eddie, what I do know is that someone, this woman, tried to hurt my daughter, her sister-in-law, because she thinks she and my son-in-law are meant to be together."

Eddie sat next to her, balancing the briefcase on his knees as he snapped it open, pulling out a legal pad that had a few notes on it. "Four counts of Attempted Homicide, trespassing, and more."

"We need a restraining order against her, especially once she finds out Riley is pregnant. I'm worried she might try again to hurt her."

"Okay, of course. Obviously, I'll talk with the Sheriff about all of this." Eddie made a few quick notes, "I'll find out exactly what's going on, what needs to be done to protect your daughter and her family."

"Thank you, Eddie." Topanga sighed, "Could I get you coffee or anything before you go?"

"Thank you, but no. I'm going to get into town and get as much of this taken care of as possible. I'll give you a call when I have more information for you."

"Thank you, for taking care of this."

"How could I say no to my favorite boss? I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't been your intern."

Topanga cringed thinking about all the time that had passed, "That was forever ago."

"Yeah, Riley was in what middle school then?" He put his notes back in the briefcase and shut it, "And she's married now, expecting twins if the police report is correct."

"She is, I'm still wrapping my mind around all of it." She confessed, "Please call as soon as you have some news."

Eddie rose from the steps, "I'll call soon." He looked around the ranch, "Is this yours?"

"My son-in-law's, Riley owns the property next door though, she bought it from Dixie's father."

Eddie pulled the keys from his pocket, "This is a twisted web of circumstance, isn't it?"

"Something like that." Topanga sighed, "I think it's a case of a delusional woman who couldn't take no for an answer. Even though it's been the answer she's gotten for years. Classic case of entitlement."

Eddie shook his head, "Just makes the job harder, doesn't it?"

Topanga nodded as he got in his car, "Thank you again for doing this Eddie."

"For you, Boss, anytime." He flashed a smile before starting the car up, "Talk to you soon."

Topanga moved back to the steps, waving to Eddie as he drove away, Cory came out, "Was that Eddie Parker? It looked like Eddie Parker."

"It was, he's going to be making sure that there is a restraining order in place against Dixie and anything else Riley and Lucas need to be safe from this woman."

"That's good, Lucas texted, he and Riley should be home in a couple of hours, just waiting on the actual release paperwork, because you know it just takes so long to get processed." Cory sighed as he sat down on the steps, "It's pretty here, hot though."

Topanga chuckled as she sat next to her husband, "Yeah, different then New York huh?"

"Very" he jumped when he heard the distant cry of a cow mooing.

Topanga patted Cory's hand, "I already called my office and told them I would be down here in Texas for the next few weeks. Have you called into the school?"

"Yeah, I got a sub set for this week, and depending on how things are going I can get it extended."

"Good, I have a feeling this is going to be a tight space with all of us in this house."

Cory sighed, "We'll figure this out, it's not like we're going to move to Texas." He chuckled.

* * *

"You got me a phone, but not a set of clothes to wear home?" Riley let her eyes fall on her husband, "You are lucky that I look cute in oversized men's clothes."

"I'm sorry" Lucas helped her into the wheelchair, "It didn't occur to me that they cut off your clothes when they brought you in."

"It's okay, I just want to get home, clean up, put on my own pajama's and, well then I can't do much can I?"

He pushed the chair forward out of the door, "You rest, you get better for yourself and the babies."

"Can we stop and see Gigi first?"

"Yeah of course." Lucas kissed the top of Riley's head as they moved down the hall to the elevator, where they went up a floor to where Gigi was. He gently knocked on his sister's door before opening it, "Hey we just wanted to stop by before we left."

Gigi looked over a small smile on her lips, "You are going to make me an aunt."

"They just gave her more pain meds." Deacon said from the window, a cautious look on his face.

"Yes, so you need to get healthy because before long our moms are going to be driving us crazy and we're going to need each other." Riley reminded her.

"Point taken," Gigi looked over at Deacon, "I'm going to marry him."

Riley gave her a smile, "I'm jealous you got the good stuff. I'm on Tylenol." She looked up at Deacon, "He loves you."

"He's mad at me."

"He'll forgive you." Riley looked to her husband, "We should get home."

"Yeah, Um I'll send Mom and Dad out to see you after we get back. We have to show them the wedding video tonight."

"Wedding video, oh right Gigi mentioned you two got married, congratulations."

"Thanks Deacon, let's go honey, I'm tired." Riley patted Lucas' hand, "I don't think I'll see you until you get released and come home. I'm on bedrest for two weeks."

"Lucas hooked us up with phones though." Gigi waved the one he'd given her earlier in her hand.

"He sure did." Riley looked at the two of them, "Find a movie, relax as best you can."

"We'll try." Deacon's smile was stiff as he watched the happy couple in front of him saying goodbye, leaving him and Gigi alone. His heart was heavy as he watched her, he could feel it in a dozen or so different pieces, ready to all fall away.

"I'll come by and visit you tomorrow." Lucas told his sister, "Just rest, get better."

"I'll do my best." Gigi sighed, her eyelids feeling heavy.

Lucas kissed her forehead before going to the back of Riley's wheelchair, he could feel the tension growing in the room, and knew it was time to make what little escape he could.

Once they were outside in the hall Riley released a loud breath, "That was tense."

"Yeah, it would be worse if Zay was around."

"Where is Zay?"

Lucas looked at his phone, "Well he _should_ be at church right about now, but who knows."

* * *

"I can't believe they didn't come to church with us." Bonnie huffed to Grady as they walked into the social hall.

"Really, you're surprised?" Grady shook his head, he really didn't understand his wife lately, she would get in a tizzy about the most ridiculous things, "Topanga was meeting with her lawyer, that's why. Besides do they really need to come here and be inundated with questions about Riley. I'm already uncomfortable knowing we'll have to answer questions about Gigi."

"I still think they should've come." Bonnie's eyes fell upon Mayor Harris, "Excuse me Grady, I have something to take care of."

Grady felt her purse pushed against his chest as his wife crossed the social hall. He groaned loud enough that several people around him heard, and then turned their attention to the scene that was about to go down.

"Harris" Bonnie's accent got thicker as she charged towards him.

He looked up, a smirk on his face when he saw her, until he saw the fire in his eyes and fear took over. "Bonnie Friar, good to see you. Where are the kids?"

"Well gosh Harris, let me think." Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest as she looked at the man before her, "Gigi is in the hospital, having had her spleen removed, and Lucas is taking care of Riley who has sprained both ankles. Both girls are bruised and banged up thanks to your niece Dixie tampering with Riley's car."

"I'm sorry I don't know what you're talking about." He tried to take a sip of his lemonade, feeling his hands shaking slightly.

"Cut the bullshit Harris, you know exactly what I'm talking about." Bonnie took a step towards him, her eyes narrowing, "I can't wait to watch that psychotic little bitch rot in prison."

"We're in church Bonnie." Harris tried to back away, but only made it a couple of inches before hitting the wall.

"We're in the social hall, and your niece, hurt my family. She's got multiple charges coming up against her."

He gulped, "She has the best lawyer in Texas coming in today to help her."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow at him, "I wouldn't count on that Harris, the best thing you can probably do for her is wash your hands of her. Then again, she's already tarnished your image, and you won't be Mayor for much longer."

Harris couldn't hold back the eyeroll, "Lucas isn't going to win, people in this town don't like New York Sluts shacking up with our men."

The collective gasp of the congregation was loud enough to drown out the sound of Bonnie's hand contacting his cheek, "Never speak that way about my daughter-in-law again, do you understand? People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones Harris."

The room was silent for a moment as everyone processed what they were witnessing before the doors were thrown open and several children came running in, one goal in mind—cookies.

Bonnie held her head high as she spun around and walked towards Grady, "Well we should get home, make sure things are set for Riley's return."

Grady still had her purse as he followed her to the car before he finally spoke, "What the hell Bonnie?"

"I put him on notice." She took the keys from him, "Get in the damn car Grady."

"Bonnie, you just revealed to almost the entire town that Riley and Lucas are married." He stared at his wife, wondering when she had lost her mind, if it was a new thing due to his retirement, something that had happened long before, or if maybe she had always been like this.

"Did I? Oops, they'll have to announce it soon enough, and everyone at the hospital already knows. They were calling her Mrs. Friar after all." She waved her hand as though it were no big deal, "Let's get home now."

Grady shook his head with a sigh as he got in the car, maybe he could only semi-retire, or he could run away to Tahiti.

* * *

"I had a feeling I would find you here." Gloria May dropped her purse on the bar as she grabbed a glass and filled it with whiskey before sitting next to him. "How's Gigi?"

"Alive, she had her spleen removed." Zay rubbed his eyes.

"You are so in love with her." Gloria May shook her head before taking a sip of her drink.

Zay stared at her, "What, why would you say that?"

She turned to him, looking deep into his espresso eyes, "I'm not stupid Zay, I see the way you look at her when you think no one is watching. I hear it in your voice. You pretend you don't, but you do."

He was silent as he took a sip of whiskey, "Well Deacon informed me I had to stay away, and when I did get to see Gigi she told me she wanted him."

Gloria May scoffed, "She's been through a major trauma thanks to Dixie fucking around with the car."

"Wait what?" Zay almost dropped his glass on the bar top.

"You didn't hear? It was Dixie. They arrested her yesterday." She took a slow sip, "I knew when it came to Lucas she was a little kooky, but this."

"Dixie did this to Gigi and Riley? Fucking bitch." Zay slammed his fist on the bar top causing Gloria May to jump.

She gently put a hand on his shoulder, massaging it softly before he turned to her. She nodded before she felt his lips on hers, before he lifted her up on the bar, his hands gripping her waist. She knew she shouldn't continue to give into this, but the pull, the need was too strong, the desire to feel him lost in her, if only for a few minutes was more than she'd ever hoped for.

She closed her eyes as the tips of his fingers slowly danced over her inner thighs, the soft moan escaping her lips, giving him permission to continue as he touched her.

One day she wouldn't give into her desire for Zay, but today was not that day.

* * *

Lucas parked his truck close to the front steps, quickly getting out and going to lift Riley from her seat, carrying her. The front door opened before he had to think to ask and he carried her through. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs looking to his parents and hers, "Um, I'm going to get Riley settled so she can rest okay. I'll come down when she's ready for visitors."

"But we can help." Topanga insisted.

Lucas looked to his mother-in-law, "Let me take care of Riley right now, okay."

"Yeah, Mom Lucas has this. He'll get you when I'm settled." Riley reiterated.

"Fine, I'll wait." Topanga sighed, just wanting to make sure her daughter was okay.

Lucas continued up the stairs and carried Riley into the bedroom, gently placing her on the bed. "I'll be right back, Riley do not try and go anywhere."

"Fine" She sighed looking down at her ankles, one still wrapped in the ace bandage, the other with the Aircast tight around it.

Lucas ducked out of the room and quickly went down the steps, "She's not settled yet, but I needed something." He called out as he went out to the back patio and grabbed one of the plastic chairs, bringing it in with him. He saw the confused looks from his father and Cory, "So she can shower."

When Lucas got upstairs he found his mother and Topanga in the room, "Out ladies, I will get Riley settled. I am her husband, and I am the father of those baby boys growing inside of her."

Topanga chuckled, "Boys huh? You sure about that?"

"Yes" Lucas insisted as he brought the plastic chair into the bathroom, placing it in the shower before returning to the bedroom, "I promise to come get you both when she's settled."

"Lucas, sweetie we just want to help." His mother insisted.

"When we need your help you can help, for now we do not. Scram." He gave them a warning look that took them both by surprise, as they put their hands up and backed out of the room. He locked the door once they were gone.

"Lucas, you don't have to do this all yourself, they're here to help." Riley watched him as he came towards the bed, picking her up. "What are you doing?"

"Getting you in a shower," he told her as he brought her into the bathroom, sitting her on the chair. He removed the Ace bandage and the Aircast, putting them on the counter. He looked at her, disheveled, the dirt in her hair, dried blood, he loved her and he couldn't believe how close he came to almost losing her.

"I can shower on my own."

"Maybe, but I want and need to take care of you." He told her as he removed the clothes she'd worn out of the hospital, tossing them aside, "I almost lost you Riley, we're just getting started, you, me, and these two future all-stars."

She covered his hand with hers as he placed it on her abdomen. "I love you and the three of us are very lucky to have you."

He leaned down to kiss her, wishing he could give in to showing her exactly how much she meant to him, instead pulling away to remove his own clothes and start the shower. He focused on Riley as she sat in the chair, he shampooed her hair, conditioned it the way she instructed. He helped her soap up her body when she winced in pain from her sore muscles. He rinsed her off, dried her off with her favorite towel before re-wrapping her ankles with the correct supports.

"Thank you, Lucas" Riley nuzzled against his neck as he carried her back to the bedroom.

"Anything for you." He kissed her softly, whimpering when he had to pull away. He went to the dresser and pulled out her pajama pants and then grabbed one of this t-shirts before dressing her. "Much better."

She gave him a smile as she watched him dress, "Yes much, will you lay here with me for a little bit before we let the parents in here?"

"Of course," He made sure her feet were elevated before he lay next to her, feeling her rest her head on his chest. He closed his eyes, breathing in the fruity scent of the shampoo they used, listening to her breathing, eventually they both fell asleep.

* * *

Dixie Carmichael was thankful to finally be out of the small cell she'd been kept in. She wore navy blue scrub like clothes, and her bra had been confiscated due to the underwire. Her hair was a mess, and she hadn't slept.

She couldn't believe this. They had no proof at all she'd done anything to that bitch Riley, this was such a witch hunt. Her Uncle would have her cleared soon, he called in a lawyer from Austin he said was the best in the state.

She looked down at her nails, only a little chipped from when she was crawling on the ground under Riley's SUV the day before, not that anyone could prove that's how she'd chipped it. She'd almost been rid of that bitch once and for all.

Outside the door she could see the shadows of two men, one was obviously the sheriff with his pudgy, short body, the other she didn't know, but she saw broad shoulders on a tall man. She crossed her legs, fluffed her hair with her fingers and made sure she was sitting up straight while cursing the florescent lighting as the door opened.

He had dark black hair, no signs of gray, his eyes did have the promise of wrinkles from a man who enjoyed laughing. Blue eyes she could get lost in, like a crisp water off a Greek island. She was lost in the moment as she watched the way his mint green polo stretched over his shoulders and chest.

Who was this God before her?

"Dixie Carmichael?" His voice was strong, thick, smooth.

Her toes curled in a way she never felt before. "Yes, you are?"

"Eddie Parker, your Uncle called yesterday to hire me." He opened his briefcase, "he should be here in just a moment and then we can talk."

Dixie kept her eyes on him, wondering if his chest felt as hard as she anticipated, wondering if she opened his collar should would find a bare chest or dark hair to run her fingers in.

"Sorry I'm late." Mayor Harris tugged on his tie, "Shall we get started?"

"Now, I just want to get a few things clear, the victims of the crimes you've been charged with are Riley Friar and Georgianna Friar, correct?" Eddie pulled something from his briefcase, double checking the document.

"Wait, Riley Friar, no her name is Riley Matthews." Dixie felt her stomach drop.

Eddie looked up, he could see the panic in Dixie's eyes, "Riley is married to Dr. Lucas Friar, her identification at the scene said Riley Friar," he pulled the document from his folder, "And this restraining order is to protect Riley Friar, Georgianna Friar, and Lucas Friar currently. Now that I've given you this, I'll be on my way."

"Excuse me?" Harris grabbed Eddie's arm, feeling the strong muscle, he realized he perhaps made a mistake.

"I can't be your attorney Ms. Carmichael; The Friars are my clients. I'm sure you'll find another attorney to handle the case." He snapped his briefcase closed, the sound echoing in the small room. "I will leave you with this, you've got four charges of attempted homicide in front of you. I can promise you, this is just the start of your legal troubles."

Harris followed Eddie into the hall, "What is this bullshit, you're the Friar's attorney how the fuck is that possible?"

Eddie looked at the older man in front of him, "The firm I work at, we're part of a national firm, our headquarters are in New York City. When I was an intern, I worked for Topanga Matthews, Riley's mother. Topanga is still my boss, and compared to her, I'm not that great."

"What are you saying?"

"That your niece is fucked, I saw the police reports, a good chunk of town called in that she was the one who did this, and this is the legal stuff. Wait until I slap her, and you with a civil suit." Eddie looked up, feeling Dixie's eyes on him. Even if he wasn't working for Topanga, he would get out of this case as quickly as possible, he didn't need a client with her mouthwatering as if she'd been on the latest fast and he was a chocolate bar. "Good luck, you'll need it."

"Big city trash!" Harris called out as Eddie walked down the hall. He kicked the wall before going back into the room and looked at his niece, "What the fuck did you do?"

"Nothing." Her lower lip quivered as she looked down at her nails.

Harris swung the door closed, "Do you understand what this obsession of yours has done? You've lost the ranch, you're in jail, you've got a restraining order against you, and four attempted homicide charges, four! I don't know why it's four but you've got four!"

"I'm innocent, I'm the victim here." She willed the tears in her eyes.

"Cut the bullshit," Harris sat across from her, "I'll find you a new lawyer, but I want you to plead guilty. I will not lose this election to Lucas Friar, because you tried to murder his wife and sister."

"I am not pleading guilty."

Harris rose from the seat, the sound of the chair scraping across the floor stinging his ears, "Dixie, he's married, you tried to murder his wife and sister. No jury in this county is going to find you not guilty."

"I'm innocent." She whined, pounding her fist on the table.

He sighed, realizing that she might believe it. He took one last look at his niece before leaving the room, and her all alone.

* * *

"Friar open this door!" Cory pounded on the bedroom door, shaking the handle, kicking it with his foot. "Lucas Friar, I will still steal your shoes!"

It took another minute or two before the door opened, Lucas obviously still half-asleep leaning against the frame, "Sorry we fell asleep."

Cory pushed past him, to see Riley hugging a pillow where Lucas had obviously been a moment ago, still asleep. "Your parents went to see Gigi, Topanga made some lunch, she wants to bring it up."

"Yeah that's fine, let me wake Riley, she needs to take her medicine anyways." He climbed onto the bed, slowly pulling the pillow away from his wife, "Ri, Riley, sweetheart," he stroked her hair, "Princess Dancing Sunshine, time to wake up."

"I want to sleep forever." She moaned, her face revealing how unhappy she was to be awake.

"I don't blame you, but you need to eat something, and have some medicine. Maybe then you should give Maya a call, I'm sure she knows about the accident, but you should probably talk to her."

Riley sighed, "Fine, that works." She tried to sit up, wincing as the pain radiated through her body from various places, tear stinging her eyes. Before she knew it Lucas and her father were both helping her, propping her up with pillows when her mother came in with a tray of food.

"Once you're done eating let me do your hair, I see you got it washed but forgot to brush it." Topanga sat on the edge of the bed, watching her daughter eat.

Riley slowly ate the food her mother prepared for her. She relaxed a little when her mother brushed through her hair, gently, to avoid more trauma from bumps on the head and tangles. She almost fell asleep before Lucas came in the room with her laptop.

"I could just use my phone." She reminded him.

"Well I figure you'll eventually want to get stuff done for the resort. At the very least get a list or two of things for whoever it is that'll be handling stuff tomorrow." He kissed her forehead before getting on the bed next to her.

Riley opened her laptop, her fingers hovering over the home keys for a second before typing in her password, she could feel the smile on Lucas' lips as he watched her.

"Back up Friar." Cory warned.

"Which one?" Riley smirked as she glanced at her father, "I'm a Friar now, remember."

"Yeah, when are we going to talk about that?"

"Later, I'm calling Maya. Everyone keep their traps shut." Riley gave them all a warning look as the video call rang.

Lucas ducked away, feeling his father-in-law's glare just before he would've been in the shot as Maya answered the phone.

"Riley, thank God, you're alive. Why didn't you call sooner?"

"I was kind of stuck in the hospital, Lucas got me a new phone this morning but I had to go straight to bed once we got home." She studied her best friend, she could see the bed pillows stacked behind her. "How's your bedrest?"

"I'm going stir crazy," she glanced down towards her abdomen, "Gracie is kicking up a storm, but thankfully Charlie is wrangling Fallon and Drew." She looked back up, "But enough about me, you're okay?"

"Yeah, I sprained both ankles, a few bumps and bruises from the accident, that should clear up soon."

"Good thing you've got that strong Cowboy to help you out. Did he carry you up the stairs? Did he help undress you?"

"Maya" Cory screeched from the side.

Maya began a hearty laugh, "Oh hey Matthews."

Lucas meanwhile was blushing, wondering how his wife described him to Maya, wondering what she had shared.

"Dad, hush or I'm going to make you sleep in the barn tonight." Riley looked to him quickly before turning back towards her laptop. "Anyways, yeah um, I'm okay really, I have my parents here, and you know I've got my wonderful husband, and you know two weeks of bedrest to make sure that the babies are healthy, so I might go a little stir crazy, any tips?"

Maya was silent, her eyes half closed, her mouth hanging open.

"Maya, did you freeze?"

Maya blinked several times as she leaned away from her screen. "For a second I thought you said husband, and then I could've sworn you said babies."

Riley sucked her lips in with a smile as she lifted her left hand, "Lucas and I got married in August."

"You got married without me, you didn't tell me?"

"They didn't tell any of us." Topanga pushed Riley to the side a little as she got into the call, "None of us knew, they had no plan to tell us."

"That's not true." Lucas looked at his mother-in-law as he moved closer to Riley, "We were going to tell you at Thanksgiving, we had the whole thing planned, we were going to show you all the wedding video."

"Yeah that's what you say now Lucas, but how do we know it's true?" Topanga sent him an icy glare.

"Stop" Riley growled as she pulled a file up on her laptop, made sure to share the screen, "I made this to be sent out to everyone who couldn't be here on Thanksgiving."

The graphic on the screen showed a portrait of Riley and Lucas with the Grand Canyon behind them, with a bold, gold text: _We eloped!_

"You really got married without me?" Maya's voice broke just a little.

"You couldn't fly, we didn't want to wait." Riley grabbed Lucas' hand, "We just wanted to be married, we spent too much time apart was it was."

"So, we went to Las Vegas, and go married in the Grand Canyon." Lucas gave Riley's hand a squeeze. "We decided on Thanksgiving, to have everyone together, so no one felt jilted we told them before others."

"If what happened yesterday hadn't happened, no one would know yet." Riley looked around feeling guilt wrap over her, "But everyone kept calling me Mrs. Friar."

"You changed your name, Ranger Rick, I swear, you're lucky I'm on bed rest." Maya pointed towards the screen.

"Yes, I changed my name, I know you're all shocked, but come on guys, you knew one day this was going to happen."

"I didn't think you'd be making me a grandfather so soon." Cory muttered.

"Yeah, Riley, can we get back to that?" Maya folded her hands together.

"Lucas and I, are having twins, they're due in May." Riley watched her friend's eyes go wide.

"Damn, I knew you guys would be rabbits, but twins?"

"Maya, we weren't rabbits." Riley felt her voice squeak at her lie. "We weren't trying, we um got blessed."

"Yes, we did." Lucas dropped his hand to Riley's abdomen, "And right now my beautiful wife needs rest, so goodbye Maya."

"Fine, Charlie will shut me down soon anyways." Maya sighed before the call disconnected.

"You two, out, or I'll have the ranch hands set up two cots in the barn." Lucas gave his in-laws a warning look.

"Fine, but you and me, we're talking later." Cory warned as he and Topanga gathered a few items and left the room.

Lucas waited a moment before going and locking the door, a sigh escaping his lips before he looked over to his wife, as she was closing her laptop and placing it on the bedside table. The afternoon sun enhancing the glow she already had.

"What?" She caught him staring, it was that look he would get every so often, usually he would kiss her, they would speak in the language that was just their own.

"I'm enjoying the moment." He felt an ache in his heart, "I would be lost without you Riley."

"Get over here" Riley reached out for him, "I'm not going anywhere. Don't worry."

He joined her on the bed, curling his body against hers, his head resting over her heart, while his hand dropped her abdomen. He felt her arm hold him close, the sound of her breathing before they both drifted to sleep.

* * *

Gigi sighed as she looked to her parents, she was sitting up in a chair the nurse had helped her move to. Her mother and father arrived and quickly told Deacon to leave and go shower, change, check in with the office or perhaps he would never return. She really didn't know.

"Gigi, are you listening to me?" Bonnie wasn't sure why she and her daughter were so distant, when had it happened?

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"Do you know when you and Deacon want to get married?" Bonnie had taken out her phone and a stylus as though she were about to take a dozen notes.

Gigi shook her head, "Not now Mom, I can't think about a wedding right now. I, I need to heal first."

"Of course, I just thought I could get the ball rolling on a few things." Bonnie frowned and put the phone back in her bag.

"The girl just had surgery, survived a car accident Bon-Bon, let her heal." Grady warned, trying to ignore the tension between his wife and daughter. "Besides, if you get too crazy she might just run off and get married n Vegas like her brother did."

"To be fair they got married in the Grand Canyon." Gigi pointed out, "and it was beautiful."

"At least you got invited." Bonnie's arms crossed over her chest and the pout on her lips grew fuller.

Rolling her eyes with a sigh escaping her lips, "Maybe if you weren't such a self-centered bitch Lucas and Riley would've called you up in London at like five in the morning and asked you to fly into Vegas for a day and then send you back the next day."

Grady clapped his hands together, looking from his wife to his daughter, "Bonnie I think we should leave, give Gigi some alone time."

"Fine" She stood up, her purse held so tightly in her hand that her knuckles were turning white, leaning forward she planted a kiss on her daughter's cheek before stomping towards the door.

Grady gave Gigi a gentle hug, "You two used to be thick as thieves, I wish I understood this space between you."

She couldn't look at her father, her eyes were cast down on her hands studying the scrapes and cuts that were already healing, "She called me a slut Dad, that's rich coming from her the original slut of Rosewood Springs."

He understood now, Gigi _knew_ , "It's more complicated then what you think Gigi."

"I'm not her, I'm not some slut."

Grady smoothed down her hair, "I know sweetheart." He planted a kiss on the top of her head knowing he couldn't argue with her about Bonnie, "I'll be back tomorrow."

"Bye Daddy" Gigi watched her father leave, she glanced up at the TV some old movie with Freddie Prinze Jr. was on, all she could do now was wait, hope that Deacon would be back.

* * *

Zay stretched his Wild Z t-shirt over his body, feeling the soft cotton against his skin while Gloria May ran her hands up his back. "I'll be here, waiting for you." Her voice syrupy as she pulled him back against her body.

"I shouldn't have to be down their long." He could feel her hands running down his arms.

"Good, I want you back in this bed with me." She kissed his neck, "Or in the shower with me."

A primal groan escaped from him, "You're making me really want to skip out tonight."

"Good, but I know you need to be down there." She sighed before pulling away and grabbing her bra off the floor.

"I'll bring up dinner, we'll put on a movie, and then you can get me back in that bed." He rose to his feet, looking back, a slight pang of guilt twisted in his stomach as he watched Gloria May pull on her clothes.

"Just get going so you can get back up here." She shooed him out of the room, before she looked around the apartment. She'd spent so much time up here the last few months, no matter how deeply she and Zay connected, there had been a wall between them. She had suspected it was Gigi, she wasn't blind, she'd seen the way the girl had looked at Zay when he didn't know she was watching him for months.

Today had been different, something changed in the way he touched her, the way he needed her, the way he gave himself to her.

She made the bed, straightened up around the apartment before going to her bag, pulling out her laptop and going through her work assignments. Putting together a list of what she needed to write and for which clients.

As she was preparing to start the research for an article for a local woman's magazine, an email popped up on her screen. She squinted at the screen as she read the subject line before opening the actual letter.

"Why does this name sound familiar?" Gloria Maya went over the information again, "What kind of name is Farkle anyways?"

She quickly typed a reply that she would love the opportunity to interview the candidate in New York, and would wait for further information.

She went back to the work she already had to do, getting through an article about vacuuming and carpet care before she started a piece on wireless doorbells. Just as she was finishing that one, she received another email confirming that she would be interviewing this Farkle Minkus man, that she would be leaving on a flight in the morning out of Dallas, and hotel arrangements had already been set up.

Quickly going over her doorbell article one last time, she put it aside to begin reading about her interview subject, making a few notes here and there before reading through the information pdf she'd been sent. "Abigail Adams High, why does that sound familiar?"

"Glor, can you open the door?" Zay called from the other side.

She set her laptop down on the coffee table, before going to the door, stopping short when she saw the photo hanging on the wall of Zay from high school graduation, he had three girls and another boy all grouped together. She realized one right away was Riley, and the logo they held up clearly said _Abigail Adams High School_.

"Gloria May?" Zay's voice was strained.

She snapped out of her daze for just a moment to open the door, he carried a tray with food from downstairs; an order of jalapeño poppers, a BBQ Cheese Burger, and an order of Chicken tenders. "Sorry, I got distracted by this picture."

Zay glanced over his shoulder, "From Graduation?"

"Yeah, you and Riley, I'm guessing the blonde is Maya."

"Yeah and Farkle and Isadora."

Gloria May blinked, "Farkle Minkus?"

"Yeah, why?"

She crossed the room to Zay, "I just got hired to interview him."

Zay handed her the jalapeño poppers, "For real?"

"Yeah, you didn't have anything to do with this, did you?"

"Nope" Zay went to the fridge grabbing two beers before coming back to the couch, "Farkle hasn't spoken to any of us since he and Smackle bought Riley out. Oops, I don't think I was supposed to mention that."

Gloria May twisted her beer open as her eyes took Zay in at this moment, "What do you mean bought Riley out?"

"Um, I don't know what I'm talking about." Zay opened his beer and took a long chug.

Her eyes narrowed at him, "I have ways of getting information out of you Zay."

"I don't know anything, really. The only one who would know why they kicked Riley out of the business she created would be them."

"They kicked her out of the business she created? Is that why she's started the resort, is that where she got the money? Wait, what did Riley do before?"

Zay kept the beer bottle at his lips, wondering if he had to keep drinking this or he could pretend to drink to not answer her questions. He felt the bottle pulled from his mouth as she looked into his eyes, "Off the record Zay, so tell me what you know, but you look like a volcano of information about to erupt."

* * *

"Lucas, honey, wake up." Riley shook her husband, pushing him off her, watching as his eyes jolted open. "I need to pee."

His eyes cloudy with sleep stared at her for a moment confused.

"I can't walk, sprained both ankles, I could use that strong husband of mine to help." She could see clarity forming as a sleepy nod came from him before he lifted her up and carried her to the bathroom.

When she was done he helped her to the sink and then back to the bed where she tried to find a position that was comfortable and kept both her ankles elevated, "So, I slept a little while you napped, but I also was awake for a little while and thinking. We are never going to survive my parents, and your parents being here. And if this whole thing about your Dad retiring is true, I'm thinking they thought they would live here, and let's be honest you know my parents are going to be hanging around a lot more then they think they are."

He rubbed his eyes, "My parents, at least my mother is going to drive Gigi insane if what I've seen so far is any indication."

"Considering your mother called her the slut of Rosewood Springs, yeah."

Lucas leaned on his forearms, "What?"

"Gigi was venting about it before the accident. I don't know." Riley shrugged, "But, both parents in the house is just too much. So, I was thinking we just rent a couple of trailers or something and set your parents up in one, mine in another…and maybe later we can figure out something more permanent."

"You are brilliant" he told her before taking her face in his hands and kissing her quickly, "We have some hook ups out by the barn just for this. You look online for two we can rent or whatever. I'm going to go make dinner, set up the wedding video and get the family off our backs for a little while."

"Don't forget about me up here, all alone." She pouted as he handed her the phone and her laptop.

"I won't, you know it." He kissed her forehead before going to unlock the door and escape to the kitchen where he found his mother and Topanga studying the pantry, "Okay ladies, out, I'm making dinner, Riley is resting so let her be."

"Lucas we're here to help." Topanga took something from the fridge and Lucas took it and put it back.

"That's great, but I'm making dinner, and then we'll watch the wedding video." He told them as he gently pushed them out of the kitchen. They both stared at him for a moment.

Bonnie went and sat on the couch next to Grady, "Your son just kicked me out of my kitchen."

"I think it's his and Riley's now." Grady looked up from his tablet, "This is his house, his ranch, so please remove the stick from your ass."

Topanga and Cory's eyes were wide as they looked to each other, before settling back to the television where he'd been watching a football game with teams he really had no care for.

Grady and Bonnie fell into silence, tension thick in the room as the only sound for the next thirty or so minutes was the football game. Lucas came out with a tray of food placing it on the coffee table, "To get you all started, you can thank Riley for having these prepped in the freezer."

Before they could thank him, he vanished into his office, going to the small safe and pulling out the DVD with their wedding ceremony on it. He left it on the desk before going up to the bedroom, Riley was just closing her laptop with a satisfied smile, "What did you do Mrs. Friar?"

"Love the sound of it." She beamed, "I ordered two very nice RVs, maybe too nice."

"When will they be here?" He went to lift her from the bed.

"Tomorrow morning, have they killed each other yet?"

"No, but tension is thick downstairs." He cradled her in his arms, "I warmed up some of those prepped appetizers you made from the freezer, and I have a quick soup simmering on the stove. We'll get you, and the babies fed, parents can see our wedding, and then hopefully we'll feel less guilt."

"With the way they're acting, I don't feel guilty about eloping at all. I highly recommend it."

"So, do I." he carried her carefully down to the living room, helping her get comfortable on the couch before going back to check on the soup. After giving it a quick stir he went back into the living room to find the parents fussing over Riley, doing whatever they could to make her comfortable. "Dinner should be ready soon, then we'll watch the DVD."

"Good" Bonnie waved her son away, "Do you know how to knit? You should learn how to knit."

"I do know." Riley looked to her mother for support.

"Are you going to breastfeed or are you going with formula?" Topanga tilted her head to the side.

Riley was stunned, she just found out she was pregnant, with twins no less. "I don't know, I think that I have to find out what will be best, especially with twins. You guys, I just found out I was pregnant, the news is still settling with me. Whatever decisions need to be made, Lucas and I will make them together. We will decide what is best for _our_ children."

Topanga and Bonnie exchanged a look before both sat back in their seats. Riley closed her eyes for a moment, ready to get this over with, she was ready to fall asleep again. She tuned the chatter out around her for the next few minutes before Lucas came in with a tray of bowls filled with chicken taco soup. He handed the bowls out carefully before running to the office, grabbing the DVD.

Once everything was set up, he sat next to Riley, his own bowl of soup in his hands as their parents became transfixed with the images on the screen.

"It's beautiful" Topanga's voice soft as she watched her daughter walk towards Lucas on the screen.

Cory's eyes were transfixed on the screen, watching his daughter marry the man he always knew she would marry.

Bonnie reached for a tissue, she wasn't sure she had ever seen her son look so happy, proud, as he did on the screen in front of her. Guilty twisted around her that she could've thought Riley wasn't the one for him.

"Beautiful wedding" Grady told him when the video was done, as he began cleaning up. "Get your wife upstairs so she can rest, we'll clean up."

"Thank you, Mr. Friar." Riley felt Lucas already lifting her up before anyone could object.

"Call me Grady" He called to them as Lucas was already halfway up the stairs.

Lucas got Riley to the bedroom, helped her get ready for bed before getting himself ready. "Well, we got through that."

"Just barely." Riley sighed as she snuggled under the covers, "but now we can move forward."

Lucas chuckled as he moved closer to his wife, "Just wait until everyone in town knows we're married."

"I don't want to think about that right now. I just want to sleep."

"Then sleep, rest, you need it." He kissed the top of her head as she drifted to sleep.

* * *

When the Friars had sent Deacon home, he showered, finding himself crying as the hot water rained down on him. Gigi had almost died, she wanted him, but her words felt hollow with the knowledge that she had slept with Zay, after becoming engaged to him. He'd heard her confess through the haze of drugs that she loved Zay, yet she kept saying she wanted to marry him.

Deacon didn't know what to think as he changed into comfortable clothes, laying down on his bed, the pillows smelled like Gigi and while he tried to fight it, didn't want to feel it at all, it was comforting, safe, as he breathed it in.

The sun was starting to set when he woke up, he hadn't meant to sleep that long. He cleaned up before grabbing a few things and putting them in a bag. No matter how hurt he was now, Gigi needed him, she wanted him by her side so he was going to do what he could for her.

His stomach tight as he drove back to the hospital making a quick stop on the way. When he got back to her room she was just getting back into the bed with help from a nurse. "I'm sorry I was gone so long Gigi."

"You came back." She smiled.

He pushed her blonde hair away from her eyes, "Yeah, of course I did. I just slept longer than I anticipated."

She took his hand, tightly in hers, "I was afraid you wouldn't come back."

"I'm hurt Gigi, but I love you, you need me, you want _me_ with you. I'm not going anywhere." He handed her a bag, "I thought you might need theses."

Gigi looked in the bag, her hairbrush, tooth brush and a few other personal care items, "Thank you, thank you so much."

"You're welcome." He picked up the brush, gently working out the tangles in her hair, "I love you, I want you to love me."

She touched his hand as he passed by her shoulder, "I do love you Deacon, you need to trust it."

He sucked in his lips, "Give me time Gigi."

She gently leaned her body against his, "I'm yours Deacon, and I'm going to do what I can to prove that to you."

He didn't say anything, just continued to brush her hair before grabbing a hair tie from the bag and pulling it into a low ponytail. He kissed the top of her head and then pulled a flower arrangement from his bag, setting it down on the counter. "for you."

"Stay with me."

"I will" he took her hand in his as he sat in the chair beside her bed, neither spoke, the room was filled with the low buzz of the television.


	39. -be your man-

_**Author Note: So, Thursday night I noticed I was close to my 70,000 post on tumblr and thought it would be super cool if the actual 70,000 post was the next chapter of TCTW. And I was sure I would finish the chapter quickly…but you know real life came up and stuff, so here we are Sunday and I've got this chapter done, and I still have time to prepare for my job interview tomorrow—wish me luck! Oh and special shoutout to Amy because she totally brought something up I hadn't thought about, and it made this chapter better.**_

* * *

 **-be your man-**

Zay stopped before taking a sip of the dark ale, as a chuckled escaped his lips and he looked at his friend, "That's what's going on?"

"Yup" he smiled sheepishly, "sounds like it all worked out."

"You need to tell her."

"I will."

"Like tomorrow." Zay pressed.

"I have campaign events, meetings, things to do for work." He took a sip of his drink, running a hand through his sandy blonde hair.

Zay finally took a sip of his drink before setting the glass down on the oak bar top, "It has to come from you."

He could feel Zay's dark eyes on him, finally he relented, "Okay, I'll go to Texas with you tomorrow and I'll explain everything to Riley and Lucas."

"Good Farkle, because let's be honest they might not fully believe it if it came from anyone else."

* * *

 _Earlier That Day_

Lucas joined Topanga and a man he didn't know on the steps outside the county courthouse. "They haven't start yet have they? I had a sick goat."

"Not yet Lucas, we still have time." Topanga put her hand on his shoulder, "This is Eddie Parker, your lawyer. He's got the restraining order against Dixie already placed, and he is prepared for any tricks her lawyer might try."

"Nice to meet you." Lucas said politely, but really, he just wanted to make sure Dixie couldn't get anywhere near Riley or Gigi again.

"Lucas, I want you to be prepared, it is likely that her lawyer will try to get her an insanity plea."

"She's crazy, but she knew what she was doing."

"Oh, I believe she knew exactly what she was doing. I think she's very lucid, taking into consideration the charges, the history, her attorney will most likely try to get her sent to the mental health ward for at least an evaluation." Eddie looked around, "I met Dixie yesterday, her Uncle tried to hire me as her attorney, she's desperate, she'll try to pull out any tricks she can."

"I just want Riley, Gigi, and the babies' safe." Lucas told them, a knot growing in his stomach.

"Of course, and that's why I called Eddie in." Topanga reminded her son-in-law, "He's the best attorney who ever interned for me, I try every year to lure him back to the New York office."

"I did speak with the DA earlier today, they're changing the charge from attempted homicide, to attempted murder in the first degree." Eddie went over his notes, "They're taking this very seriously, and they told me they plan to request that bail be denied since her Father recently moved away they feel she could be a flight risk."

"Why is this happening?" Lucas' brain felt flooded with information as he sat on the steps, "I never gave Dixie any reason to think she and I would get together, I actively avoided her for years. My wife and sister got hurt because she couldn't accept it, we almost lost our babies because of her."

"But you didn't lose them, and Riley and Gigi are both fine." Topanga sat next to him, "This isn't your fault, it's not Riley's or anyone other than Dixie's. She will pay for what she did."

"I knew she wasn't going to make things easy for Riley, she started a cake fight with her after Riley won the bake-off, but to go this far."

Eddie looked down at the younger man, he could see the worry etched on his face, permeating from his soul, "Dixie is an entitled young woman, she obviously doesn't understand boundaries, and people have let her get away with this for far too long."

"I need her to be safe."

"She will be." Topanga assured him, "You love her, she loves you, you're just starting your lives together, you have this hiccup right now, and years from now that's what this will be. Just hold on to that."

"I think I'll hopefully feel better after the arraignment."

Eddie glanced at his watch, "We should go in, it should be starting soon."

Lucas nodded as he rose, helping Topanga up from the spot she'd been sitting next to him. They went into the courthouse, through the metal detectors, before finding the court room.

The trio sat in the back row, so as not to be too close that Dixie could see and misinterpret that Lucas was there to support her.

It was only another minute or so before the proceedings were called into session. "The Honorable Jack Cooper presiding. Today is September 25th. The Case of Texas V. Carmichael."

Lucas felt a buzzing in his ears as he listened, wishing that none of this had happened. Wishing he could turn back time and do, say something different, wishing he'd gotten on a plane to New York to see Riley when she didn't show up for his birthday, or told Dixie his heart would always belong to the girl from the subway, but he'd never given her any indication that he wanted her, so would any of that have mattered?

Dixie was brought in to her lawyer, Lucas heard Eddie whisper something to Topanga but he couldn't make it out. They would explain everything later. For now, he felt like he was underwater as everything happened around him. He could see some of the local busy bodies sitting in, and honestly, he couldn't blame them, this was big news for their quiet small town.

"Not Guilty your Honor." Dixie's voice cut through the sensory overload Lucas was experiencing and he grunted.

Topanga put a warning hand on his arm for him to remain calm, while the Judge continued through the proceedings.

"Bail is denied." Finally gave Lucas a sigh of relief, at least she wouldn't be out. It was only then that he realized the death glare his mother-in-law had been giving Dixie the entire time, just as Dixie turned to say something to her lawyer, only for her eyes to fall on Lucas.

"You came to support me." She cried out as the room filled with commotion.

"Carolyn get your client reigned in." Eddie shot her a warning look.

"Ms. Carmichael, I will warn you to behave in court or I will add contempt charges to the extensive list you already have." The judge warned her. "There is a restraining order against you from Friar family, and I think you've proven today why that will stay in place. You will be held at the County Women's Correctional facility until further notice."

Lucas watched the Judge looking over a calendar, "The Trial will start on January 8th, of the new year."

"That's fast, this shouldn't take too long at all, and the DA will bring her a plea bargain most likely that should be a reality check for her." Eddie explained once they were adjourned and were getting up from their seats.

"I hope so, I would hate for Gigi and Riley to have the stress of a trial." He admitted as they moved into the hall, he could feel Harris staring at them.

"Who is he?" Topanga adjusted the shoulder strap of her bag.

"Mayor Harris, Dixie's Uncle."

Topanga nodded before turning on her heel and marching straight over to him. "Mayor Harris, Topanga Matthews."

He nodded not saying anything.

"Going for the strong silent type huh?" She took him in, at one point he'd probably been very popular with the ladies, "You obviously have enormous influence with your niece, perhaps you should use that influence to explain to her how much trouble she's in."

"I tried" he confessed, "She won't listen to me."

"Try harder, from what I under, she and you do not want the facts of this case dragged out for the public." She walked away, leaving him to ruminate over what she'd said.

* * *

"What the hell is this?" Bonnie stood on the porch as two RVs pulled up the drive.

The screen door slammed against the frame as Cory came out, "What is this?"

"No idea." She watched as a man got out of a car that accompanied the two larger vehicles. "Excuse me, what's going on?"

"I have a delivery for Mrs. Friar, two RVs, it says they'll be hooked up near the barn."

"I didn't order any RVs" Bonnie told him as Cory put a hand on her shoulder.

"Is the reservation under Riley Friar?"

The guy checked his paperwork over, "Yes, Riley Friar ordered these."

Bonnie huffed, "I can't believe this" before she threw the screen door open and stomped into the house.

"Sorry about that, my daughter ordered these and I have a feeling her mother-in-law is not pleased."

"Can you sign for these?" He really didn't care about the family drama, he just wanted to get back to his office before _The Young and The Restless_ started.

"Of course." Cory quickly signed just as one of the ranch hands came up to the house.

"Dr. Friar, wants these down here, we've got the hook ups ready to go." He explained as he led them away.

Cory quickly left them as he bound into the house and up the stairs.

"What is with these RVs?" Bonnie's demanding voice could be heard through the door.

"We thought things are a little crowded now, and we're not entirely sure how long either you or my parents plan on staying. Gigi will be home in a few days, and well we could all use a little space."

Cory entered the room, "They're getting set up near the barn." He told his daughter, "You sure you want it this way?"

"I think it's best for all of us." She looked at her mother-in-law, "Tensions are high, and its more for your comfort, and for Gigi's."

Bonnie frowned, her eyes fell, "I see. For Gigi."

"I know things are tense, and she'll need space. Just like Lucas and I need space." She rubbed her hands together, "They're top of the line, total comforts, basically little houses. You'll be hooked up for internet and cable as well."

"This is beyond disrespectful!" Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Riley.

"Mrs. Friar, you are Lucas' mother, you will be the grandmother of the children I'm carrying. However, you did show up unexpectedly, insulted me, _and_ Gigi. This is our home, Lucas and I discussed this last night and believe it's best. You'll have privacy, my parents will have privacy, and we'll have privacy."

"What do you need privacy for?" She wasn't letting up.

"To rest you crazy woman." Cory started to guide Bonnie from the room, "Go pack your and Grady's stuff up. I'll help you bring stuff out, but first I'm going to make sure Riley will be okay to be left alone for a little bit."

Before Bonnie could reply Cory had closed the door and was already going back over to the bed. "Are you okay, do you need to go to the bathroom, need any food, water?"

"I'm fine Dad, I'm probably going to try and nap. Lucas should be home in a little while. The RVs are the same, or at least they should be."

"I get why you did it, especially after that."

"Where's Grady?"

"He's visiting Gigi and then he's going to meet your Mom at the resort to talk with the crew."

Riley nodded, "Okay, well I'm going to sleep now."

"Rest up sweetheart, you're sleeping for three now."

"Thanks Dad." She watched him leave, wondering if she was going to survive the full two weeks if they kept acting the way they were.

* * *

"Fallon please get back here." Charlie raced after his child as a knock came on the door. "Drew don't open that door!"

It was too late both his children were racing to the door fighting with each other over who got to open it as Charlie slid behind them just in time to see Zay on the other end, "Zay, what are you doing here?"

"I'm in New York, thought I would drop by, see how Maya is." He rocked back and forth on his feet, "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, sorry, I wasn't expecting you. Is Riley okay?"

"I think so, I haven't actually seen her." He confessed as he came in, greeting both kids.

Charlie raised an eyebrow, "Zay, what's going on?"

"My…friend, Gloria May is interviewing Farkle for some political website she does freelance stuff for. So, I'm going to try and get a chance to talk to him, find out why he did what he did." Zay looked around the living room, he still couldn't really wrap it around in his mind that Maya was a stay at home mom, expecting her third child.

"What did Farkle do?" Charlie studied his wife's friend, what had been going on. He'd been confused for weeks, ever since Riley had shown up and broken up with Dave. "Zay, what has been going on since Riley came back to town in August?"

"Farkle and Isadora forced Riley out of the company, paid her like a ton of money." Zay gulped, suddenly remembering why he hadn't been a fan of Charlie, "And um Riley broke up with Dave because she really loves Lucas who she married like a week after she got back in Las Vegas, and yeah."

"Does Maya know that?"

Zay shrugged, "I don't think she does."

Charlie took Zay by the arm as he brought him back to the bedroom, "Maya, you've got a visitor, all the way from Texas."

Maya sat up in bed, not sure who could be here, "Zay, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm gonna talk to Farkle." He felt a weird tension in the room, "So, how are you?"

"Pregnant and stuck in bed, otherwise I would smack you for not telling me Riley and Lucas got married." She glared at him.

"So, she told you huh? I figured with their parents both there she would."

"Yeah, she told me, and you knew, you were there."

"I was, it was beautiful, I'm sure she'll send you the video."

"She already did. I haven't watched it yet."

Zay sat at the foot of the bed, "They couldn't wait to be together, they called me and Gigi and we went to Las Vegas, we got dressed up, took a helicopter ride into the Grand Canyon, had the ceremony, cake, champagne, went back to Vegas and they went to bed…and yeah."

"What did _you_ do in Vegas?" Maya watched him, the signs where there, "Oh my God, you slept with Gigi, didn't you?"

"How do you know that?"

"Your foot, it's tapping, you do that when you're scared of making Lucas mad. Sleeping with his baby sister, how old is she Zay?"

"Nineteen, and she's engaged to Lucas' soon to be Junior Doctor." Zay dropped his head, "And I think I'm in love with her, but she chose Deacon."

Maya threw a pillow at him as he flopped down on her bed, "You're an idiot. Are you in love with her or was it just good sex? And Zay I know you have no trouble getting laid."

"That's where it gets even more complicated, I've been sleeping with someone since we got back from Vegas, but she knows how I feel about Gigi."

"How you _think_ you feel." Maya corrected him.

Zay ignored her tone, "And Deacon knows, he told me I had to stay away from Gigi. I think that's part of why I came to New York with Gloria May, not only to try and talk to Farkle, but to escape a little bit."

"Your whole group is ridiculous" Charlie flew to his feet, "Maya is the normal one. You're in love with your best friend's teenage sister, Farkle is forcing people out of companies they built and then stops talking to everyone, and Riley was engaged to my best friend and then like a week later married to someone else? But like in May, all of you were group texting each other all damn day long all up in each other's lives. What the hell?"

"To be fair, Dave is engaged to Avery now. Remember that ridiculous wedding we have to go to in November, right after Gracie is born." Maya rubbed her pregnant belly, as she started to laugh, "I want to be there when Dave finds out Riley and Lucas are married and expecting twins."

Zay slowly sat up like a creepy doll in a horror movie as he looked to Maya, "Expecting twins, what are you talking about?"

She smirked, "You didn't know? Huckleberry knocked her up good. I guess they found out in the hospital."

Zay's jaw just hung open for a moment, "I shouldn't be surprised, before she came back to New York it was like any moment they were either going to kill each other or have sex. And once she was back, let me just say neither stopped smiling until the accident."

"So, I guess we're even." Maya sighed, "You knew they got married, I knew she's pregnant."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"So, what's your plan to see Farkle?"

Zay slipped his phone out of his pocket checking the time, "Gloria May should be sitting down to interview him right now. So, no one knows why they forced Riley out?"

"No, I can't get him or Smackle to call me back. Riley said they've ignored her and Lucas."

"And I haven't gotten anything from him either." Zay sighed, "I'm going to try and pop back in, just before he leaves and try and get him to talk to me."

Charlie shook his head, "You people and your schemes, can't you just let things play out like they should?"

"No" the two said in unison, smiles forming on their lips.

Frustrated he shook his head and went back to the living room where Drew could already be heard begging to watch _Trolls_ again.

Maya looked to Zay, "I wish you luck, I'm glad you came by. Bed rest sucks."

"I bet, how much longer are you stuck in bed?"

"Until this one decides to join us, so a few more weeks. At least Riley only has to do it these two weeks."

"She's on bedrest?"

"You really are out of the loop. You're that scared Lucas is going to have a minute to think and realize you hooked up with his sister."

He sighed, "I tried to deny it, I tried to ignore it Maya. I turned her down, I pushed her away."

"But you gave in."

"And pushed her away, then gave in again, told her what happened in Vegas stays in Vegas."

"That's just a stupid slogan they use so you'll go there and lose all your money and do something you've been holding back." Maya chewed on her lower lip for a moment as she thought, "Have you fought for her?"

Zay didn't say anything for a moment, "I told her I love her."

"Before or after she almost died?"

"After."

"And then she told you she picked the other guy, right?"

"Yeah."

"You have to fight for her you moron. You haven't done that. You've given her no reason to think you love her, but love her body. She's young, if she really loves you and you really love her, fight for her. Don't just roll over dead and let the other guy win. Be the man she deserves."

"What if I think she deserves more than me?"

"Figure out why you don't feel like that's you, and get your head out of your ass. I you love her and she loves you be together. Stop worrying about if Lucas is going to kick your ass, because let's be real if you break his sisters heart, he will. But if you love her, you cherish her, he won't."

Zay groaned, "I hate when you're the voice of reason."

* * *

Riley woke up to her Mother bringing in a tray of food. "How was court?"

"She's still in lock up, no bail." Topanga set the tray up for her.

"How's the resort?" Riley tried to sit up, feeling her muscles tense and aching.

Topanga sat on the chair next to the bed, "It looks amazing Riley, they showed me and Grady the plans, and I am so proud of you. Grady is going to hang around there when he's not visiting Gigi. I saw the RVs, I think it was a smart decision."

"Thank you." Riley took a sip of water, "Any second thoughts I had about it went out the window when Bonnie flipped out over them."

"She is" Topanga paused for a moment, "high-strung, isn't she?"

"Yeah, she's Lucas' mom, and his Dad like retired or something so they thought they could just come back here, but you and Grandma Amy got along well, right? How?"

"Well, at times, she could be critical, you know your father and I got married so young, even though we'd been together for so long, she will always be his mother, the first woman in his life, and when you get married the wife kind of takes that place as the care taker." Topanga watched as Riley looked down at her abdomen, "You'll realize it when you have those babies. I did when I had you, and Auggie."

"Were you scared to become a mom?"

"Terrified, I had this life that I was going to be responsible for with your father, I was sure we were going to screw you up, I was even more terrified with Auggie." She took Riley's hand, "You are going to be an amazing mother, and you'll have Lucas by your side for these two precious blessings."

"Thanks Mom, it really means a lot that you think so."

"I know so." Topanga smiled, "Lucas loves you so much, it's written all over his entire being. I could see today, just how worried he was for you. How much he wants to protect you, provide for you, care for you."

"I really love him Mom, I wouldn't be here if I didn't." Riley looked down at her phone as a text came in from Maya.

"What's wrong honey?"

"Zay is in New York."

"What's he doing there?"

Riley shrugged, "I don't know, I haven't seen him in a few days." She quickly texted Lucas with the news before putting the phone down, "So Mom, want to binge watch _Grace and Frankie_ with me?"

"I would love to."

* * *

Lucas came back to his office, sinking down into his chair, rubbing his eyes. He had a few more patients to see and then he could go home, laydown with his wife, ignore their parents and sleep.

He saw the notification light on his phone blinking and he pulled up the text from Riley he had waiting. His jaw tensed as he read it before he quickly pulled up Zay's number, only to have it go to voicemail, "What the hell are you doing in New York, you better have someone covering the bar tonight. Do you not comprehend what's going on here? Call me back."

Lucas slammed his thumb onto the end call button before storming out of the office and out to the street before going next door the Wild Z. The door was locked and a string of curses came flying for his mouth as he went back to the office.

"What's wrong?" Deacon pulled him into an empty exam room.

"Zay ran off to New York, and no one is around to work the Wild Z. I have to find my key to get in and call people."

"Why the hell is he in New York?"

Lucas threw his hands in the air, "I have no idea, I don't know what is going on. I have enough to deal with and I don't need Zay being a total flake on top of it."

"Take a deep breath, breathe." Deacon studied him, "I will cover things here, you go figure out the Wild Z. Come back when you have it covered. One thing at a time."

Lucas sighed, "Thank you, I don't even know who he has working there anymore. Gigi left, not that she could work anyways."

Deacon tensed up, "Just go figure it out."

Lucas went to his office grabbing his keys before he left to go back to the bar. He unlocked the door, turned the lights on before he went to set up the register. He didn't work the bar often, really the only time he had was when Zay went to his cousin's wedding in Dallas a few years ago. He turned the music on and went to the office to look for a schedule.

Right in the middle of Zay's desk was the calendar, with his own name written down. Lucas shook his head as he sat in the chair. He started digging around for a call sheet, who the hell even worked here? He finally found one, and started making calls, but no one could come in. Two of the bartenders were off in Austin for school, the other his wife was in labor.

Lucas sat back, he knew they would have a crowd soon, it might not be a big one, but it would be something since Football was on tonight.

He went through the list, apparently everyone had the night off. He was going to kill Zay. He could feel a throbbing pain behind his eye when he saw Riley calling, "Honey, Hi."

"Lucas, it's Cory."

Lucas wanted to throw his phone across the room and bang his head on the desk, "What's going on?"

"You're Dad and I were going into town, we wanted to know if you needed anything at the store."

"The only thing I need are people to work at the bar tonight. Zay ran off to New York and apparently none of his employees can come in." Lucas sighed as he heard Cory talking to someone.

"You've got two bartenders on the way." Cory told him before hanging up.

Lucas looked at the phone confused, what Pandora's box had he just opened?

* * *

Deacon opened the door to Gigi's room, seeing her climbing back into the bed, "Hey you're up, moving around."

"Only a little bit, but its nice to be able to do." She tried to get comfortable as he came over, planting a kiss on her lips, she felt a surge through her being. "How was your day?"

"Busy, Lucas went to the hearing, Dixie is being held without bail."

"Good" Gigi continued trying to adjust the bedding.

Deacon put his bag down next to her bed, "How much do you hate that hospital gown?"

She glared at him, "I don't want to see another one of these until I'm in labor with our child."

Deacon stared at her, it was how easy the words had flown from her lips. It wasn't something she forced herself to say, it was her honest statement. "We will, we will have as many babies as we can." He ignored the tears in his eyes.

"We will?" She took his hand, "I want us to Deacon, I'm not as drugged up as I was before, so you need to know. I love you, I want to be with you."

He kissed her hands, "I want that to." He looked up into her green eyes, "you need to heal, I need to heal. But we will heal together."

"I really like that idea." She told him.

He kissed her hands, "I um" he sat up, wiping his eyes, "I brought you some pajamas that you had at my place, I talked to your doctor he said it's okay for you to wear them instead of the gown if their loose enough."

"Thank you." She took the pajamas he pulled out, her favorite pair, she held them close to her, breathing in the scent of Deacon's laundry detergent.

"You're welcome, I found a couple of your school books, I don't know if you want them or not."

"Dad and I talked, I'm withdrawing from the semester. I'm going to miss too much school."

Deacon reached out smoothing her hair, "You'll go back in January, and you'll graduate in the spring."

"I'm going to go change into these. I'll be right back."

"I'll be here Gigi, I'm not going anywhere." Deacon watched her walk to the bathroom and close the door, "I won't run like Zay did."

* * *

"You guys really don't need to do this." Lucas watched as his father and father-in-law dug through a box looking for Wild Z t-shirts.

"You need help, and we feel pretty useless on the ranch." Cory told him.

"And your mother is driving me insane." Grady pulled a shirt out and started to take his off.

Lucas closed his eyes, "Have either of you ever bartended before?"

"Back in college, when Topanga was in law school, I was student teaching, Riley was a baby." Cory explained.

"I did a little in college to." Grady pulled the black t-shirt on and shrugged, figuring it was good enough.

"Thank you, guys." Lucas sighed, "I don't know what Zay is doing in New York, but I just am thankful you're both here to help."

Cory had found a shirt and put it on, "So," he clapped his hands together, "What are you doing about the grill?"

"I'll handle that, limited menu, I printed it up." Lucas gave them a few copies, "There are bartender guides behind the bar, I just I think it should be simple. A football crowd, we can handle this right?"

"Right, totally." Grady smiled proudly as the three men left the back room, just in time for a few guys to come in, ordering beers.

Just as Lucas went to get the kitchen going he heard his father to Cory, "I lied I never bartended in my life."

"Don't worry, it can't be that difficult, can it?"

* * *

"Thank you so much for your time today Mr. Minkus" Gloria May turned off her audio recorder.

Farkle stood up, buttoning his suit jacket, "Thank you so much for coming all the way from Texas to do this interview. When can I expect it to be on the site?"

Gloria May looked up, "Tomorrow evening, don't worry your team will get a chance to look over it. I'm surprised you didn't have anyone sitting in with you during this from your campaign team. My friend Riley always sits in with her fiancé when he's getting interviewed and he's just running for Mayor."

Farkle adjusted his tie, "I've been around political consultants long enough to know when I do, and do not need them."

"Like Riley" Zay was standing in the open-door way, leaning against the frame as he looked at his old friend. "Hey Farkle."

"Zay, hey, long time no see." Farkle started to loosen his tie. "What are you doing here?"

"Zay is a friend from home, he came with me since I've never been to New York before." Gloria May took her things, "I'll leave you two alone. I have work to do."

Closing the door Zay crossed the room after Gloria May had gone into the bedroom, "You know I've called dozens of times, Lucas has, Maya has, Riley sure as hell has."

"Yeah, I uh heard she and Dave broke up." Farkle glanced at the back room. "He's engaged to Avery, she's a lawyer from his firm."

"Good for him." Zay held back the smirk itching to form on his lips. "How's the wife?"

"Smackle is wonderful, enjoying her new challenges in life now that the consulting firm has closed." Farkle circled around Zay, "So, is Gloria May your girlfriend?"

"It's complicated." Zay rubbed his chin with his fingers, feeling his phone vibrate he pulled it out and saw Lucas was calling he ignored it before turning his attention back to Farkle, "Which is probably the only way to describe what you and Smackle did to Riley."

Farkle pursed his lips for a moment, "How is Riley?"

"Alive, which is amazing considering someone tried to kill her." Zay realized at that moment that Farkle had no idea anything had happened to Riley. "You didn't know?"

"Someone tried to kill Riley, of all the people why Riley?" Farkle ran a hand over his hair, silently praying that nothing he'd done had caused this.

"Because Riley is with Lucas."

Farkle stepped forward, "Is she, or are they still playing for his election?"

"How about you and I go downstairs, have a drink, and we exchange some details." Zay put his arm around Farkle leading him towards the door.

Farkle pulled away, "Are they together?"

Zay studied his friend, the desperate look in his eyes, the worry on his face, "Yes, they're together."

"They need to get married already." Farkle ran his hand through his hair.

He pulled a picture up on his phone and handed it to Farkle without saying a word.

Farkle looked at the screen before looking back at Zay, "It worked, my stupid plan worked."

"This was part of _your_ plan?"

A smile came over his lips, "Yeah, you think we did this to be assholes? No, we looked at the information we had, and decided it was time to push the baby bird out of the nest."

* * *

Riley glanced at the time on her laptop as she saw the glow of the headlights coming down the drive on the bedroom wall. She saved the document she'd been working on before closing the computer as she waited for the door to open.

When he came in, she couldn't help but admire his form in the tight black t-shirt, but his body was carrying the weight of the world as he toed off his shoes and came over to the bed. "Hey why are you still awake?"

"Waited up for you" She caressed his cheek before he pulled away to go brush his teeth. "Zay texted me, he's going to be back tomorrow afternoon, he says he's sorry you had to work the bar tonight, but he hopes you'll forgive him."

Lucas came out from the bathroom his mouth half-full of toothpaste, "I'm too tired to be mad at him right now." He finished up and came out, shedding his shirt, and pants, leaving on his boxers before crawling into bed.

"When do you have to be up?" She let her fingers run in his hair as he curled up against her.

"Noon" he released a content sigh, "Deacon is taking the house calls in the morning for me."

"How was it working with my Dad and yours?"

Lucas sat up, rubbing his eyes, "I will never un-see the things I saw tonight. The Eagles were playing."

"Oh no, what did my Dad do?"

"By tomorrow afternoon, I think the entire town will have seen your Fathers scoring dance."

"Oh gosh, I am so sorry."

"It's okay, it was nothing compared to my own Father who decided to have a mini-Karaoke concert to sing _Don't Stop Believing_."

She couldn't help but laugh, "One day, you'll do something like that and embarrass these two."

Lucas put his hand on her abdomen, "I would and will do anything for you three."

Riley snuggled closer to him after turning out the bedside light, "I know you're stressed out right now, but honey you are an amazing husband. I'm so overwhelmed by how protective you are, how much you do to take care of me, your sister, your friends. It makes me fall in love with you just a little bit all over again with you."

"I never thought we would be here, you and me, married, expecting twins." He gasped as though it were starting to hit him in that moment.

Riley kissed his forehead feeling his body tense with anxiety. "Get some sleep, rest up babe. Let me take care of you."

Lucas purred, "Just hold me" he felt like he breathed for the first time. "Mm, you smell good."

"I need a shower, but not as badly as you do." She could smell the food and beer from the bar in his hair.

He nuzzled her neck, "We'll take one in the morning, a nice long one."

"That sounds perfect." She held onto him, listening to him breathing as she closed her eyes drifting to sleep.


	40. -look at me that way-

_**Author Note: Happy Solar Eclipse day! Yay another knew chapter! Hope you enjoy, thank you to anyone still reading this you guys rock.**_

* * *

 **-look at me that way-**

Riley giggled as Lucas carried her back to the bed, her hair damp but braided, fresh pajamas on to start the new day. He gently laid her down, a smile on his face as he stood back watching her get comfortable with the pillows behind her back and under her ankles. "Stop looking at me that way." She warned with a smirk.

"What way?" His eyes stayed on her as he moved to the dresser to grab a purple V-neck t-shirt.

"You look at me sometimes like I hung the moon. Which I didn't."

He sat on the bed, holding the shirt in his hands, "I just look at you with all the love I have for you. Riley, I almost lost you. I was barely living before you came back in my life."

She scooted close to him, letting her arms hang over his shoulders, "God, I am a lucky woman to have you love me."

"I'm the lucky one" he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her as he kissed her slowly, trying to control himself.

"Do you two ever stop?" Zay shook his head as he looked at the newlyweds, "Put a shirt on Lucas."

Lucas glared at his best friend as he pulled away from Riley, grabbing his shirt from the bed and letting the cotton stretch over his torso, "What the fuck Zay? You just ran off to New York, leaving the bar unattended, do you not realize what I have going on here?"

Zay held up the gift bag, "So you don't want these adorable little baby tees I picked up for the twins."

Lucas ran his hand over his hair, "I hadn't told you, had I?" a slight pang of guilt washing over him.

"Nope, I found out from Maya, who was pissed at me for not telling her you two got hitched." Zay gave Riley the bag, "Congratulations you two."

"Thank you Zay, but why were you in New York?" Riley picked up the line of questioning.

"He came to get answers from me." Farkle Minkus stood in the doorway of their bedroom, his head hung low as he studied his old friends.

"Farkle" Lucas was relieved and angry at the same time when he saw his old friend, "What is going on?"

"I heard that once we bought Riley out of IRSM, she broke up with Dave, came back here and the two of you ran off to get hitched in the Grand Canyon, and now you're expecting twins. My plan worked faster than I expected."

Riley was fighting every urge inside of her to get out of the bed and hobble over to Farkle until he answered her. "What plan?"

Farkle gulped as he heard the determined, angry tone of her voice, "Project Baby Bird, that's what Smackle and I called it."

"Hey Buddy" Lucas put his hands on Farkle's shoulders, looking into his blue eyes, "Details, we need details."

* * *

"I don't think this is a good idea." Eddie looked over to Topanga as they entered the concrete building.

"I need to do this, I need to look in the eyes of the woman who tried to kill my daughter and ask her why."

He sighed as he followed her through security, he was surprised this was being allowed. He also knew when not to argue with Topanga Matthews, no reason to start a battle he was going to lose. He sat outside while she went to sit at the phone banks.

Topanga could smell bleach mixed with something foul, as though whatever they had tried to clean was more powerful. She felt her body shudder with disgust as she sat at the designated cubicle. A few minutes later Dixie Carmichael was brought out and sat on the other side of the glass.

She picked up the phone receiver, watching as the young woman followed her lead. "Dixie, I'm Topanga Matthews."

"Why are you here?"

"I wanted to really get a good look at the woman who tried to murder my daughter."

Dixie leaned back in her seat, a slight smirk on her lips as she stared at Topanga, "Innocent until proven guilty."

Topanga narrowed her eyes, just as she did Dixie sat straight up like a chill had gone through her spine, "Trust me Ms. Carmichael, I know my way around a courtroom. You're going to spend a lot of time in prison for this, I've seen the evidence, and now that I've seen you, I know a jury will find you guilty, no matter what tricks you pull in the courtroom like the other day."

Dixie gulped, "Lucas loves me."

"No, he doesn't. He loves Riley, that's why they're married, that's why they're having twins. Do those other two charges make sense now?" Topanga watched as realization poured over the woman, "I hope you'll do the right thing Dixie."

Dixie didn't speak, she just hung up the receiver and called for the guard.

Topanga hung hers back up and rose from the seat, going back to the hall where Eddie was sitting. "If she doesn't accept the plea-bargain they're presenting her with she's an idiot."

"What did you say to her?" Eddie jumped to his feet, keeping his briefcase in his hand as he followed Topanga down the hall.

She spun on her heel to look at her former intern, "That I wanted to get a good look at the woman who tried to murder my daughter. I also explained the two additional charges were for the children that Riley and Lucas will be having in the spring."

Eddie nodded, "Okay then, well I hope it works. I don't think Riley, Gigi, or Lucas should be subjected to a trial."

"I don't either." Topanga took a deep breath of the Texas air once they were outside, "Now, did you get those contracts set up for the resort project?"

"Oh yes, those are ready to go as soon as Riley looks them over." Eddie placed his briefcase on top of the car as he fished the electronic key from his pocket. "Riley is going to be fine Topanga, she's got your strength."

"Thank you, I just wish none of this had happened."

Eddie nodded before opening the door for her, then grabbing his briefcase and stashing it in the backseat before claiming his own.

* * *

"You're doing wonderfully Gigi." The nurse told her as she returned to her room, "You should be ready to go home tomorrow."

"Really, that soon?" Gigi was stunned as she sat in the chair near her bed, she'd just finished a walk around the hallways, she was exhausted, but at least she could move again.

"You're doing really well." The nurse marked a few things on the chart, "Rest now, lunch will be in a little while."

"Thank you." Gigi sat back, enjoying the silence for a few minutes. She hadn't really been alone for long the last few days. Medical staff, her family, Deacon all buzzed around her.

For the next half-an-hour or so she enjoyed being alone as she read one of the books Deacon had brought her, she set it down after a little while and started to finally set up her phone, thankful almost everything had been stored to the cloud.

"Hello Honey" Bonnie's voice sent a shiver down Gigi's spine as she looked up.

"Mom, I wasn't expecting you." Gigi felt her mother's kiss on her cheek, the residue of red lipstick she was sure left an imprint.

Bonnie pulled up the spare chair, "Well, Riley forced us into a mobile home and out of the house. Then your brother told me to go away, so I thought since your father is off working at the resort we could start going through these."

That was the moment Gigi saw the pile of bridal magazines her mother was pulling out, "Mom, we haven't set a date really. Everything is up in the air because of the accident."

"It's never too early to figure out what you want. Besides you are not running off to the Grand Canyon like your brother and Riley." Bonnie huffed.

Gigi sighed, "Mom, before we do this, I need to ask you something."

"Okay sweetheart, what is it?"

"Are you back in Texas so that you can start cheating on Dad again with Mayor Harris?"

Bonnie let her fingers turn the pages of a magazine and she set the spread out for Gigi to see, "That was a mistake I made when I was scared, in need of your father's attention, lost as to who I was."

"Explain it to me Mom, I think I need to understand." Gigi closed the magazine as her green eyes studied her mother.

Bonnie ran the tips of her fingers through her blond hair, "I married your father when we were young, not much older than you. We had Lucas, we raised him, then we had you, and raised you. When we came back to Texas life was, well I had less to do. I lost myself for a few years Gigi, and part of that was the affair I had with Harris. It wasn't long, but the ramifications are still there like the ripple of a pebble tossed in the water."

Gigi listened to her mother, it never occurred to her that she'd been lost, confused in anyway. "Did you love Harris?"

"No, it was never about love." Bonnie closed her eyes, "I acted out to get your Father to see me as a woman again. He was so busy with work, you didn't need me around anymore, Lucas was gone to school. Harris, as much of an ass that man is, that's probably partly why it was him, he was willing to give me the attention I craved."

"So, it was all about attention? You weren't in love with two men?"

"No, I've always loved your Father. When he found out, we had a rough few months, we went to counseling, we worked on ourselves, and who we were together. When he got transferred to London, we took that as a fresh start." Bonnie tried to figure out what Gigi really wanted to know, "Honey, is their someone besides Deacon?"

Gigi kept her eyes on the door, "Zay, I chased after him, he turned me down, I started to see Deacon, but then I fooled around with Zay a couple of times."

Bonnie put her hand up, not wanting to know more, "And then I in a moment of anger called you the slut of Rosewood Springs."

Gigi nodded as she felt her mother wrap her arms around her, "You're not, neither of us are. But don't be with Deacon because you think you have to be."

"I want to be with Deacon, I do. I know I can't live without him."

"Then Zay is your past."

"He hasn't even been to see me." Gigi sighed.

Bonnie clucked her tongue, "He ran off to New York, left your brother, father and Cory Matthews to run the bar last night."

Gigi's eyes were wide, "Oh no, I don't want to know do I?"

"You haven't seen the videos on social media yet?"

"Do I want to?"

"No, you don't" Bonnie gave her daughter a smile, "You are a strong young woman, I know we're not close like we once were, but that's my fault. We're here, we're not going anywhere so you'll have to get used to it. And when you get released, you'll have me taking care of you."

"Thank you, Mom." Gigi didn't know what to say, but was thankful when the Lunch tray came in a moment later, after she was settled in with her food she looked at her mother again, "It's not really a Mobile home is it?"

Bonnie sighed, "It's a very nice luxury RV, they got one to put Cory and Topanga in as well."

"The house is a bit crowded." Gigi sighed, "But I guess when I marry Deacon, it won't be as much."

Bonnie pushed a lock of hair away from her daughter's eyes, "We'll you eat up, I'm going to run to the cafeteria and get a lunch of my own, and when I get back we'll watch _Days of our Lives_. I think we could use a decent escape for an hour or so."

"That sounds good Mom." Gigi watched her leave, hoping that maybe this would be the start of a better relationship.

* * *

"Explain Project Baby Bird or whatever you called it, _now_." Riley's voice sent a chill through all three men.

Farkle gulped as his ran his hand through his hair and took a step forward, tugging on his tie, "So um, we um, kind of all knew you were coming down here to work with Lucas. Like we kind of maybe made sure it was you."

"I figured that part, so keep going." Her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes narrowing.

He cleared his throat, feeling all the eyes on him. "So, I mean we knew that you were totally falling back in love with Lucas or whatever, but that as soon as you had an excuse to run away, you would."

"Farkle, what did you do buddy?" Lucas had a feeling he'd already put the pieces together.

"Well, Smackle and I were looking for a change, she really was up to be nominated to a committee but it fell through, and then this whole seat opened up late, and next thing I knew I was running." He saw the look he was getting from Riley, "Right, so, it felt like it was the right time to get out of the company. We knew you would want to take it over yourself, we knew you would use the company as an excuse to leave Lucas if you got scared."

"So, you made sure the baby bird could fly, and nothing would hold her back from leaving?" Riley raised an eyebrow at her oldest friend.

"Yeah, we kind of pushed you out so you couldn't come back. We knew you would eventually break up with Dave, I didn't think it would be like two hours later, but I also knew you would come back to Lucas."

Riley threw one pillow and then another at him, "Why didn't you at least tell Maya or Zay, why did you guys stop talking to us?"

Farkle almost fell over when one of the pillows hit him right in the face. "Because, we wanted you mad at us, so you would stay away and we didn't want them to mess it up and tell you why we did what we did."

"I'm still mad at you, but I get why you did what you did, and I thank you for that." She looked over to Lucas, "Because I did get to marry the man I love, we're having twins. And if you hadn't pushed me out, I probably would've gotten scared and ran back to New York."

"You guys moved way faster than we calculated. We figured you would just now be admitting how you felt. I'm glad you two figured it out." Farkle sighed, "I wish I could stay but I have to get back to New York, you know I have an election to win and all."

Riley looked over to Lucas, "So do we, you've got to kick it into gear buddy if you're going to win."

"Well I'm going to take Farkle back to the airport, and then go open the bar." Zay looked over to Lucas, "By the way, you had your Dad's bartend last night?"

"Yeah and they made a killing tips thanks to their shenanigans. Don't worry I'm sure someone will tag you on one of the videos floating around." Lucas led them out of the room, "And you, she was really hurt by all of that. But thank you for pushing her out of the nest."

* * *

Eddie parked the car in front of the house and helped Topanga out before he grabbed his briefcase. He was a few steps behind her when he looked towards the porch swing, sitting their lost in whatever she was reading on her phone was the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on.

"Eddie?" Topanga stopped at the door, it was then she looked over, "Can I help you miss?"

"I'm Gloria May, a friend of Riley and Lucas, I'm just waiting for Zay and Farkle, to drive him back to the airport." She rose from her seat, crossing to introduce herself, "You must be Riley's mother, I've heard so much about you."

"Yes, I'm Topanga and this is Eddie, the attorney handling all the civil stuff for Riley and Lucas." She paused for a moment, "Wait did you say Farkle is here?"

"Yeah, Zay dragged him down to Texas to explain the whole buyout thing. He keeps calling it Project Baby Bird."

Topanga nodded as she looked towards the stairs seeing the three men coming down.

"Gloria May was it? It's nice to meet you." Eddie shook her hand, feeling an energy sweep through him he hadn't felt in far too many years, he even felt a blush on his cheeks.

"You should get some water, Eddie, you must not be used to our Rosewood Springs heat." Gloria May sucked in her lips as she smiled.

"Yes, water, right. Have a good day." He didn't know or understand what had happened, he never acted like that in front of a woman, but this one was different, he was sure of it.

The boys came out, "Hey Gloria May" Lucas gave her a hug, "Riley's upstairs, I bet she would love some company that's not a relative."

"I was going to go with Zay to the airport, I don't have my car."

"I can give you a lift back into town if you want." Eddie called out from the kitchen.

"That would be nice, yeah." Gloria May looked to the boys, "Nice to meet you Farkle, Zay I'll help you with the bar later."

Before anyone could argue she was up the stairs to visit with Riley, and the boys were saying goodbye, Lucas extending an invitation to Farkle for him and Smackle to visit once Riley got the resort open before they left for the airport and Lucas left to go into the office.

* * *

Cory helped Grady carry in the printer that had just been delivered, "Are you sure we should set up the office?"

"Yeah, give them less to worry about, besides they can always rearrange it." Grady shrugged as he looked at all the boxes they had brought up, scratching his head as he inventoried it all. Riley had thankfully made detailed lists of what was arriving for what offices, but now seeing it all he realized this might be a bit more of a challenge.

"I'm calling" Cory pulled out his phone as he scrolled for his daughter's number.

Grady snatched it away, "No you're not. We start with the desk and then work around it." He looked at the three boxes of parts, "We'll be done by supper time."

"Yeah this can't be too difficult" Cory shrugged as he started to open a box and remove the materials, tossing the directions towards a pile of construction trash.

Grady moved the rest of the boxes into a corner so they would be out of the way, before he took the trash that had been thrown about and started putting it into a large garbage bag and hauled it out to the dumpster out front.

Cory stood over all the materials, organized by size, shape, scratching his head. "Do you know what this is supposed to look like?"

"Don't we have instructions?"

"I don't see any, is there a picture on the box?" Grady dragged the one piece of cardboard he hadn't hauled out over, revealing the bright colored photograph of the desk put together. "Well, I guess these are our directions, let's get to work."

Neither Cory or Grady knew how much time had passed when Lucas came in, the sky outside was growing dark, "What did you two do?"

Grady looked over to his son, "We put Riley's desk together, we just have to move it into place."

"Yeah, help us out Lucas." Cory motioned for him to pick up the long end.

"Did Riley ask you to do this?" He knew the answer was no.

"Gotta get it put together son so that the office can be set up for her." Grady signaled for them to lift and they moved the desk so that Riley could look out the window while working, see how things were going on the resort grounds. "What are you doing here boy?"

"Well neither of you were home when Mom and Topanga expected you, they were afraid you went to bartend again. Come on, let's go home." He watched as they both looked to see their phones had been on silent and they had a dozen or so missed calls before leading them out of the office.

"Riley's done good with this place so far." Cory told his son-in-law.

"She sure has, it'll be amazing once she gets it open in February."

"You know if you hurt her, I'll kill you." Cory stopped on the stairs in front of Lucas.

"And I'll let you sir, but I have no intention of hurting her. I love her, and I would be lost without her."

"Good answer my boy, now let's go home before our wives kill us." Grady slapped them both on the back before they continued down the stairs and out into the cool Texas evening.

* * *

"This is the best burger in town." Gloria May put the basket down in front of Eddie before taking a seat at the table. "Isn't your wife wondering where you are?"

Eddie looked down at his left hand before showing her, "Not married, where's your husband, Zay was his name, right?"

Gloria May laughed, "Oh gosh no, Zay is just a friend, we're not married. I'm divorced though,"

"So, what is it you do?" He studied her as he fixed the burger, tossing the onions onto a napkin.

She felt a slight blush in her cheeks as she let her eyes wander over him, appreciating the way his suit fit over his obviously muscular body. "I write for the local paper, I do some freelance stuff, I've been helping Zay out here. And you're some hot shot lawyer."

He smiled, "Best in the state, at least according to all the votes they do each year. Topanga is always trying to lure me back to New York."

"That would be a shame, what's kept you here in Texas?" she pulled the straw out of her water glass a little before sliding it back in, watching the way he gently bit his lip.

"You know, I've just felt as though Texas was where I was meant to be. Besides New York can be very lonely, Texas is very welcoming."

"We do try to be friendly down here." She tilted her head to the side, letting her hair cascade down. "So how long do you think you'll be in Rosewood Springs?"

Eddie sighed, "I go back to Austin in the morning, but I'll be handling all of the legal stuff the resort, so I might be around a bit."

Gloria May licked her lips, leaned forward just a little, "Well, I hope I get to see you the next time you're in town."

"I'll make sure to drop by." He glanced up just then to see Zay glaring at them, "Does he know you two are just friends?"

"He's the one in love with another woman, so yeah he knows." She turned just in time to see the final flicker of jealousy on Zay's face, and she wondered just why that was. "Well, I should get back to helping out. Things are a little out of order after last night. I'll um, see you around Eddie."

"Thank you, Gloria May, you can count on that." He watched her leave, again catching a look from her friend behind the bar.

* * *

Riley was waiting at the top of the stairs, balancing on her crutches as Lucas came up. "Do I want to know what they were doing at the resort so late?"

Lucas took in the sight of her, she'd removed the braid so now her hair cascaded down in soft waves, "You should be in bed, not moving around on crutches."

"It's that bad, oh no, tell me they didn't change the paint colors, or worse like pulling the animal heads from storage."

"No, and no." He guided her away from the stairs and back to the bed room, "I know you're getting antsy being in bed, but remember it's for them. All our Dad's did was put your desk together. They want to set the office up for you. I promise I will help you arrange it the way _you_ like in a week and a half."

Riley sat on the bed, propping her crutches up to the side of the bed, "That's sweet of them, and I think they want to feel useful. Mom and Bonnie have kind of taken over the house stuff, which I'm going to have to rearrange when I can, but they all want to help, we're very lucky."

"We are." Lucas pushed his shoes off and pulled off his t-shirt, "Your Mom will be gone in two weeks, so will your Dad, then we'll figure out what to do with my parents."

"I'm still not sure your Mom even likes me." Riley confessed as she watched her husband.

Lucas crawled onto the bed, cupping her face in his hands, "My Mom adores you, she just might not realize it yet. I think she feels displaced, they come back from London expecting to find their son and daughter, instead they find their son with his wife, and two babies on the way."

"Okay, true that could be a lot to throw them, plus everything with the accident, Gigi, whatever had her so angry in the first place."

"Misinformation that we don't need to worry about." He kissed her forehead, "You stay here, I'm going down to the kitchen, I'm going to bring you some dessert and grab me some dinner, and we'll watch that show you like with the Mountie and the School Teacher okay?"

"That sounds perfect." Riley watched as he left before she grabbed the remote and pulled up the show on the TV, she closed her eyes for a moment, a sense of peace washing over her, she couldn't pinpoint why but at that moment she knew things were going to be okay.


	41. -in this little town-

_**Author Note: Happy Labor Day! Thank you again to anyone still reading this, you guys rock. You can always message me, yell at me or whatever, I'm usually around.**_

* * *

 **-in this little town-**

"Well, is it too soon to tell if they're boys or girls?" Riley watched as Rachel moved the wand over her abdomen, keeping her eyes on the screen.

"It's too soon Riley, you guys have a few more weeks. Why are you in such a rush to know if they're boys or girls?"

"Lucas is so sure we're having boys, but I have this nagging feeling it's girls." Riley sighed as she watched the screen, hearing the heartbeats of the babies. "I feel like I need him to have as much time to mentally prepare for girls."

"My nephew will be fine, you will be fine. How are you feeling?"

"Sick, but other than a few hours here or there throwing up in the evening, I'm okay. I'm thankful to be off bedrest."

"I bet, just don't overdo it, or I will send you back to bed before you can even think of protesting." Rachel grabbed a paper towel, wiping the gel from Riley's abdomen. "But everything looks good, they sound good. Just make sure you eat enough and stay hydrated, rest."

"I can do that." Riley pulled her shirt back down, "I mean it's a little easier now that my parents are back in New York, Grady has been a wonderful help at the resort, and Bonnie is thankfully distracted with Gigi."

"She can be a bit much," Rachel rolled her stool over to Riley's side, "She always was, bless Grady for being able to live with her all this time. But you love Lucas, and eventually she'll get over the whole elopement thing."

"Yeah well, I wouldn't take that back, it was perfect."

"Good." Rachel grabbed a few pieces of paper before handing them to Riley, "Remember to take care of yourself, rest, I know you're in the last stretch of Lucas' campaign, but these babies come first."

"Of course," Riley took a moment, "I looked up all those um, gender predictors online, I know they can't be very accurate."

Rachel looked up, "Well, it's biology that decides." She reminded her, "I will say that perhaps sometimes the old wives' tales are right."

Riley twisted the rings on her finger, "If this is right, then it's girls."

"We'll find out in a few weeks if we're lucky."

"If we're lucky?"

"Sometimes they're in a position where we can't tell. Riley no matter if they're boys or girls, they're healthy."

"Thank God for that." She sighed, twisting her rings some more, thankful she could still wear them for now, "So any other special instructions?"

"No," Rachel glanced at the time, "Just go home, rest."

"Yes Doctor, I will." Riley gathered her things.

"Oh, and don't forget to confirm your next appointment at the desk." Rachel called to her as she left, even though she knew she didn't have to remind Riley.

* * *

Gigi studied her fresh haircut in the mirror, before looking down at the burgundy dress she was wearing, only one knot kept the whole thing from falling off. The last few weeks had been difficult, but she was starting to feel like herself again. Next to her feet was her overnight bag, she and Deacon would be going away for the weekend. She'd had to get her Doctor to tell her Mother it was encouraged.

She appreciated everything her Mother had done for her, but she needed a break. The election was a couple of weeks away so this would be the last chance they would have to spend any real time together alone.

It had taken three hours for Riley to convince Bonnie that it was perfectly okay for Deacon to spend some of his evenings at the house, in Gigi's bed with her. She had only relented when Riley reminded Bonnie that Gigi could drive over to Deacon's and sleep there instead, and that Gigi was an adult.

The front door opened, with Riley's energy filling the foyer. "Oh Gigi, I'm so glad I caught you."

"Yeah, Deacon should be here in a few minutes though." She released a nervous breath, "Do I look okay?"

"You look beautiful." Riley gave her sister-in-law a smile. "You have all your prescriptions and stuff?"

"Yes" Gigi bit her lip as she looked down at the bag, "I um might have over packed, I don't want to assume that Deacon is ready for something, or that I even am."

Riley tried to process what Gigi was saying, "Oh, you mean, well good idea. This is a major outing, you're still recovering, I know it's been a month, you're desperate to get out of this house, walk the trails, see the fall colors, but you need to take care of yourself. If you're tired, rest. And if Deacon is ready for something and you realize you're not, tell him. He loves you, he won't push you into something you're not ready for."

"I know, I know." Gigi took a few steps around the foyer, "I'm scared though, what if Deacon doesn't want me anymore? What if he felt like he couldn't tell me because of everything that happened?"

Riley clapped her hands together as she studied the nervous young woman, "I think if Deacon didn't want you, you two wouldn't be going away together. I think he was probably hurt when he found out about you and Zay, and whatever that really was. Stop worrying, go spend a few days at Lost Maples with your fiancé, enjoy the nice hotel room he booked—I saw the pictures, it's beautiful. Don't worry about the past, this is your chance to move forward, accept it."

"Thank you." Gigi smiled, feeling a little bit better, "How is Zay, I haven't seen him, at all."

"Busy at the bar, it's a little weird he moved out, but it's probably for the best, for everyone." Riley sat on the third step on the staircase, "I don't know what the deal with him and Gloria May is, but I think he's doing the right thing, staying away."

"Deacon kind of told him to."

"And he is." Riley ran her hands over her jeans, "If you have any lingering doubts, if there is even the smallest voice in your head saying you want to be with Zay, don't go away for the weekend with Deacon."

"You know what, I really don't have that voice in my head. I want to be with Deacon, I guess I'm just scared he doesn't want me."

Riley pushed herself up from the step, "Gigi, he is crazy about you. I promise, you know it in your heart, just, you'll see it, you'll catch him looking at you in a way that no other man ever has, and your heart with skip a beat, and you will see that he loves you."

"I guess I'm just worried that I messed everything up, and that this is just fleeting and he'll be gone."

"If you don't believe in your relationship it won't survive." Riley warned her as she heard a car outside, "Look, he's here."

Gigi looked out the window, watching Deacon get out of his truck, he wore dark jeans and his college sweatshirt. Had she over dressed, should she run upstairs and change into jeans herself?

"Breathe Gigi." Riley could see the panic sweeping over her sister-in-law before she opened the door, "She's ready, I think."

"Thanks Riley." Deacon stepped into the house, his eyes going straight for Gigi, his smile growing as he took her in, "You look amazing."

She blushed, feeling the intensity of his gaze, "Thank you, could you get my bag?"

"Of course, but first," he closed the space between them, cupping her face in his hands he studied her eyes for half a moment before kissing her.

A soft sigh escaped her lips when he pulled back, ending the moment. "We should get going, we don't want to be late, but I'm not overdressed, am I?"

"You're perfect Gigi." Deacon picked her travel bag up in one hand, taking hers in the other.

Riley leaned against the banister, watching the young pair leave before she pulled her phone out of her purse, "Lucas" she smiled when he answered, "Let's have dinner at the Wild Z tonight. The babies are craving those seasoned fries."

* * *

"I am so glad the two of you are here." Eddie slipped into the booth next to Lucas, "I have amazing news."

Riley took a long sip of her water as she looked over at the attorney, "What is it?"

"Dixie took an agreement, life in prison, no parole, and psychiatric help." He explained before letting his eyes look around.

"Gloria May isn't here." Lucas informed him as he tried to snag a fry from the basket only to have his wife pull it too herself, allowing him to pout.

"Did the judge approve the deal?" Riley hugged the basket of fries close to her as she narrowed her eyes at her husband.

"Yes, a judge has. I wouldn't have brought this up if it wasn't a done deal. She won't be getting out, this was really her only option; a trial and jury would be far worse to deal with, and a harsher sentence would be handed down." Eddie explained, "I'm just glad that none of you will now have to deal with a trial or fear she'll ever be out of prison."

"Thank you" Riley put the basket down on the table, "For everything."

"I didn't do that much, honestly." He explained "Mostly just back up if needed."

"I'll be back, I'm going to go see if I can sweet talk Zay into a double order." Riley slipped out of the booth, making her way across the dance floor which mostly just had a few people milling about, chatting, the music was still low. She'd seen Zay slip into the back a few minutes before. She stood outside his office door, deciding not to knock before she opened the door finding him at the desk, staring at his computer screen.

"Gigi went away with Deacon tonight." Riley explained as he looked up to her as she closed the door. "I told her, that if she had any linger desire to be with you not to go. She went, she wants to be with Deacon."

He looked at his old friend, wondering why she was tell him this. "I've known for a month that she wants him, not me."

"And that made you want her more, didn't it?" Riley crossed the room, standing in front of the desk, "Zay, Gigi threw herself at you before she was with Deacon, and you pushed her away. You didn't really want her until Deacon had her, didn't you?"

Zay bit the insides of his cheeks, "It's not like that Riley."

"Then explain it to me, because right now it looks like you're doing the same thing to Gloria May."

He shook his head, pushing the chair back and rising to his feet, "You don't know what's going on between us."

"I know what I see." She tried to understand him, but his words, his actions, were all disjointed in a way. "I see that you enjoy whatever understanding you and Gloria May seem to have, but when Eddie started to show interest, and she showed interest in him you got jealous."

Zay came around the desk, "So you're saying what Riley, I only want someone when I can't fully have them?"

She frowned as she looked him over, "I think you're afraid, I think you've set yourself up to never settle down, never fall in love."

He laughed, "That's ridiculous Riley."

"Is it? If you settle down, if you fall in love, especially here in Texas, you lose the dream once and for all don't you?"

His body stiffened, a jolt of cold coursed through his body.

"If you open yourself up once and for all, you can't pretend that one day you can get on a plane and go back to New York and become a dancer."

Zay shook his head, "I gave that dream up a long time ago." He reminded her as he went back to his desk chair, "When I got hurt, I knew it was over. I would never star in a Broadway show, or be a Pro on Dancing with the Star. That's why I came back here."

"That's why you ran away."

"Riley, why are we doing this now?" He ran his hand over his hair, "I made a choice, I came back to Texas to finish school. To focus on my business degree, and look I have a thriving business, your husband is my partner."

"Are you happy?"

He was quiet.

"What makes you happy?"

He grew into a deeper silence as he thought about her question.

"What do you even want in life Zay, when was the last time you asked yourself that?"

He finally looked up at the brunette before him, she was glowing with her pregnancy, but not as bright as she had been. He could see the worry, the concern in her dark eyes that matched his. Before him stood a friend, who had run and hidden from what she wanted, she'd always known deep down what she wanted, but couldn't grab it. "It's been a while" he finally confessed, "I don't think I've stopped and thought about that for a very long time."

"I think you need to stop and ask yourself that before you hurt someone else, break someone else's heart, accidentally give someone hope for something, and end up totally alone. Watching everyone living life without you."

"I hate when you do this." He sighed, "I'll start to figure it out, I promise."

"Good," Riley bit her lip, "Could you also maybe get me a double order of seasoned fries, Lucas keeps trying to steal them from me."

Zay shook his head as he looked at her, "If anyone else came in here and made me start thinking about the things you did just now, and then asked for seasoned fries, I would think they're insane. But not you Cotton Candy Face, not you."

"Aww you haven't called me that in forever."

He rose again and moved to hug her, "I'll see if I can figure out what I want, you're right, not knowing will just lead me to hurting people, and myself."

"Good, now about those fries."

Zay shook his head, "Go, I'll get you some."

"Thank you." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before they left the office.

* * *

The sun was starting to set in the distance as Deacon pulled up to the main building to check in, insisting that Gigi stay in the truck. Her favorite Ed Sheeran song was playing on the radio, and a moment later Deacon came out with a paper map, and a key in his hand. He came to her window, "Everything is set up."

She studied him curiously, "What do you mean?"

"You'll see." His eyes soft as he soaked in the glow she radiated, the one she had no idea she carried.

"Deacon, what did you do?"

He smirked when he got in, lifting her hand to his lips, "Whatever do you think I could've done."

"I don't know, you just, you have that plotting look." She noticed a twitch in his smile before he got back in the truck.

"The only thing I'm planning, is getting to spend time alone with you. Without doctors, or your mother, or any family members around. I want to stretch out on the porch swing with you and look up at the stars, I want to breath in the scent of your hair after a bubble bath," He glanced over at her, "I want you to feel how much I love you."

She let her fingers entwine with his, "I need you to feel how much I love you." It was a confession she hadn't realized she needed to make, to vocalize until she did.

He brought her hand to his lips, a soft kiss on her knuckles. "Let's get to our cabin, we'll have a nice dinner, and a nice quiet evening, just us."

"That sounds perfect." She breathed as he dropped her hand to start the truck, driving down to the cabin.

It was a small log cabin, only a few steps away from the lake. If it was summer it would be perfect to just walkout and go swimming, a fire pit was in front of the porch, stocked with wood and supplies. The porch wrapped around the entire cabin, it had a swing seat with a perfect view of the night sky, a small grilling area towards the back. "Deacon, this is too much."

He wrapped his arms from behind her as they stood at the steps to go up, "No it's not, what did you think we were going to get a room at the motel 6?"

"Well yeah" she shrugged relaxing against his body, "I wasn't expecting a perfectly romantic looking cabin."

"I'm not sure if I should be hurt that you expected me to half-ass this, or happy that I surprised you." His lips so close to his ear, a tease of what his lips could do, should do before he pulled away.

Gigi felt the breeze on her back where Deacon had just been, she was frozen in place for a moment, wishing for his touch to return.

He put the bags down on the porch turning to see that she hadn't moved as he jogged down to her, without saying a word one arm was behind her back, the other behind her knees as he lifted her up and carried her not only up to the porch but into the cabin.

Roses and LED candles filled the room, a fire was already going in the fire place. A bucket of ice with a bottle chilling in it sat nearby, while trays of appetizers were arranged on the coffee table. A king-sized bed on the other side of the room, rose petals carefully tossed over it. The jacuzzi tub, sunk into the floor not far from the bed, steaming and bubbling.

Gigi didn't know where to look, where to start as she spun around to look at her fiancé, there it was, his eyes, watching her take this all in. Her heart filled, knowing this was it, she was his before she threw her arms around him, kissing him deeply.

Deacon held her, feeling her body wrap around him, deepening the kiss. He tried to convince his own body to hold back, not scare her, not push her. He wanted her, he needed her, more than she would ever know, but Deacon was never going to push her to be with him. He pulled away, opening his eyes to see hers still closed with a blissful smile turning on her lips.

He cleared his throat as he went to get their bags, and put them on the floor by the bed. "The couch folds out into a bed, I can sleep there tonight if you want the bed to yourself."

Gigi watched him close the door, shaking her head, "Deacon," she reached for the thin strap that kept her entire dress from falling off, slowly undoing the knot, feeling her heart pounding in her chest as she now found herself standing in front of her fiancé, wearing nothing but knee-high boots, with her matching black lace bra and panties and her dress pooled on the floor. "I understand if you're not ready to be with me again. I understand if you're still hurt. I understand if you're not sure you can fully give your heart to me. But I'm yours, and I need you Deacon, I want you. I need to feel your mouth on me, I need to touch you."

Deacon was stunned as he watched her, it was the most sensual thing he'd ever seen, the way she'd basically unwrapped herself for him. He took a tentative step towards her, "Gigi, I'm ready to be with you, I want to be with you. I don't want to push you into this. I wanted this to be a beautiful romantic weekend, I wanted you to see that I will do whatever I can to make you smile for the rest of our lives."

Gigi draped her arms over his shoulders, it was only then he realized he'd closed the space between them, "Be with me Deacon, make love to me on that giant bed covered in rose petals." She leaned in, softly kissing his neck, "Touch me the way you plan to every night that we're married."

Deacon closed his eyes, "And then what?"

Gigi smiled as she kissed his neck, "Open the sparkling cider, take a bubble bath with me, make love with me in front of the fire, and then take me to the bed again."

"Are you sure you're up to this, you're still recovering."

She let her hands slide under his sweatshirt, under the t-shirt he wore, against his bare skin, "Go slow, we'll rest if I need to. I know you would never hurt me Deacon, I know you love me, I love you, please, let us be together."

He stepped away, only to remove his clothes, as she watched. He knew he wasn't anywhere near as seductive as she'd been, but now he stood before her in just his boxer-briefs, feeling the twitching, aching, throb of his need for her as he reached for her waist, pulling his future bride to him, "If anything hurts, or your uncomfortable we will stop."

Gigi bit her bottom lip, "I promise, if that happens. It's not like you're tying me up."

"Well not _yet_." He captured her mouth in a passionate kiss before lifting her up, "Oh and we're keeping your boots on for this round."

Gigi giggled as he picked her up, and carried her over to the bed where he gently laid her down before letting his hands move over her body. His fingertips gently gliding over the scars she had acquired from the accident.

Deacon moved over her, his lips gliding over her stomach as his hands moved behind her, unhooking the bra, freeing her from the lace trap. His hands moved to caress her breasts, his thumbs stroking her nipples as they hardened before he suckled one and then the other.

She arched her body, feeling freer then she could remember in the last few weeks as his hand slid between her thighs, rubbing over the lace. A growl in his throat as he felt the dampness thicken.

She tried to keep her eyes open as she took in his mostly naked body over her again. Sure they'd shared a bad a few nights since she returned home, but he was always covered up. Not like right now, not as he was above her bringing her back to life in a way she had feared she would never feel again.

Deacon kissed her, held her close as he moved so he was under her. When he looked at her, the heavy want in her eyes confirmed everything he'd hoped for was true. Her fingers moved over his body, her lips tasted him as her hand finally touched him with the cotton of his boxer-briefs between them.

Gigi smiled when she felt him react to her touch, teasing him just a little bit before she wrapped her fingers around the elastic and freed him. For a moment she wasn't sure what to do next, so she wrapped her fingers around him, stroking him.

Deacon watched her, anticipating her next move before she released him, stepping away from the bed. His eyes were glued to her as she turned away from him, bending over, accentuating her backside before she pulled her panties down.

Gigi gasped when she felt his hands on her ass, his mouth moving over her spine as he pulled her body to him. His hand quickly found her wet hot folds, teasing her, moaning against her body.

Her eyes were closed as she lowered herself onto him. Feeling him inside of her, stretching her, conforming her body to fit him and only him. "Claim me" she whined as he pulled out of her almost completely before he thrust into her, deeper than he'd been.

"Mine" he growled causing her body to ripple with pleasure. "You are mine" he told her again with the next thrust.

She whimpered as he got deeper each time, "Yes" she told him before she felt him pull out all the way, before he laid her on the bed, her legs in the air.

Deacon's eyes were dark, lustful as he positioned himself, "Say it Gigi, tell me who you belong to."

"You, I belong to you Deacon," she gasped, she could feel him ready to enter her, "And you belong to me."

It was quick, fast as he rocked into her, feeling her body hungry to have him inside of her, willing to open for him as they moved together. He could feel she was close, any chance he had of holding back was lost when he felt her body dance with pleasure, and he spilled in a way that made him feel as though he never had before.

Gigi just stared at him as he lay on top of her, not making any move to leave her. She knew she needed to rest before they did more, but she also felt the happiest, the most centered she had in a long time.

Deacon smiled as his hands ran down her legs, he kissed her neck as he started to unzip her boots, finally releasing himself from her to remove them, "Rest my love."

She purred when he curled up next to her, allowing her to rest her head on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat lulling her to sleep as his hypnotic touch continued to relax her. "Let's get married on New Year's Eve just like we planned originally."

He smiled, "Think we can get a wedding together that quickly?"

"I know we can, plus" she looked into his eyes, clearing from the haze of lust and need, reflecting his love now, "it will be a great distraction for my Mother."

"You are a naughty girl." He teased her.

"I'm _your_ naughty girl." She kissed him, "And I need a bath."

He smirked, "That we can do." He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before he went to set the bath up, when he returned she had left the bed, and was coming over to him with the bottle of cider and the glasses.

"Thank you" she looked directly in his eyes.

"For what?"

"Everything, the past, our present, and our future."

* * *

Lucas watched his wife as did her nighttime ritual, brushing her hair, pulling it into a braid, setting up a pile of towels near the toilet. "What did you say to Zay when you went to get another order of fries?"

Riley slipped into the closet and came out with a pair of fuzzy socks in her hand, she leaned against the counter and slipped them on. "Oh, I told him Gigi went away with Deacon, that she chose Deacon, and that Zay needed to figure out what he wants in life before he hurts Gloria May, or she hurts him."

Lucas cringed and stretched at the same time, "Ugh, why do you keep implying that something happened between Zay and Gigi."

Riley came over to him, her hand on his cheek, "Because my love, it did."

He grew green for a moment, "I would rather not think of my sister as doing anything like what we do."

"Okay," Riley gave him a gentle kiss on his lips before she grabbed her phone from the charger, "Um, I found this thing online, it says it can predict the gender of a baby, based on how old the mother is, and what month she conceives."

Lucas reached down, placing his hand on her abdomen, "Our little boys are going to have the best mom."

"Little girls." She sighed, "I mean if the chart is correct."

"What did Rachel say today?"

"A few more weeks before it's possible to tell on the sonogram, and that's if they want us to know." She rested her body against her husband enjoying the few more minutes of peace. She knew that as soon as she laid down to go to bed, her stomach would revolt, the way it had every night for the past three weeks.

Lucas kissed the top of her forehead, "I'll go get some ginger ale and saltines."

"Thank you." She waited for him to leave before she pulled the t-shirt she wore up and looked down at her abdomen, swelling with her and Lucas' twins. "Okay girls, when I go in for that sonogram in a few weeks, you gotta make it clear you are girls. Daddy is going to need all the time he can have to get used to the idea. I don't know if he'll steal boy's shoes, or be polishing a shot gun, but he is going to protect you, he'll make sure that whoever steals your hearts are worthy of them. I'm going to go lay down, so of course you'll decide it's time to make Mommy sick soon. You two are so lucky I already love you so much."

She adjusted her yoga pants and t-shirt before going into the bedroom, it had been almost like clockwork the last few weeks. She would get ready for bed, settle in with a book and before she was two pages in to whatever she was attempting to read she would feel the sickness in her stomach, and spend a good fifteen to thirty minutes sick before settling down enough that she could rest, sipping ginger ale every so often, before she would fall asleep, only to wake up not long later and start the cycle over again.

Lucas came in with the bottle of ginger ale, sleeve of crackers, just as she rushed back to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. "Riley, I have your stuff when you're ready." He called out, knowing she would be there for a while.

He sighed, knowing he couldn't do anything for her right now and that she hated having him in there with her, he turned the television on, scrolling through the movie selection and stopping only when he knew he found one of her favorites. He set it up to play, until then he paced around the room feeling useless.

All he could do for now was make sure she had anything she could need, that the bed would be comfortable and warm. He heard the flush of the toilet, the rush of the water from the sink as she washed her face and brushed her teeth.

Riley looked and felt miserable when she came to bed, "No more seasoned fries." She whined before accepting the bottle of ginger ale and took a small sip.

"Whatever you say sweetheart." He watched her crawl into the bed, quickly getting under the covers as though she wanted to enjoy what few minute's she had before feeling miserable again.

"Don't" She warned as she made herself comfortable in the bed before snuggling up to him as he let the movie he picked out play. "I love this one, thank you."

Lucas kissed the top of her head, "Just get as much rest as you can."

Riley nodded before she took another sip of the ginger ale, "At least we don't have to worry about Dixie anymore."

He gave her a smile, "That's right, she'll never bother us again, and we'll have two healthy sons'."

"Lucas, have you even stopped for a minute to think they could be girls?"

"And you my wife, have you stopped to think for a minute they could be boys?"

She pouted, "All the old wives' tales are pointing towards girls."

"Boys, girls, it doesn't matter, what matters is they're healthy and we'll love them."

"But you would feel better if we had boys, because girls you would well make my father look sane."

"Who me? Your father is a nut."

"And you'll be worse than he is." She reminded him.

Lucas scoffed, "You'll be worse with boys, I've seen the way your Mom was with Auggie."

Riley let her fingers find the spot on his side that always got him before she started to tickle him, "Take that back."

He laughed, "Never." He danced under her touch before pulling her in for kiss.

Riley sighed, enjoying it for a moment, before pulling away and rushing into the bathroom again.

Lucas sat up, staring at the door, wishing there was something he could do for her.

* * *

The night was over, the Friday night crowd had gone home, to their own homes Zay would never know. His staff had cleared out, and he sat alone with a whiskey in front of him, the chairs up, the floor cleared, and music still coming over the speakers, it was much lower now, but still it filled the room, wrapped the space around Zay.

Riley was right, he didn't know what he wanted. He downed his drink, pushing himself up from the seat as he walked around the dance floor.

The music filling him as for the first time in far too long he let it really in. He stood still just listening, gathering the feel, sure it was a Taylor Swift song, not the kind of thing he would ever admit to dancing to—even though he had many times alone in his room before his injury.

He closed his eyes and began to move. Nothing else mattered in the world, he was in the moment, in the movement. He was lost in the trance of his passion, and these few short minutes, he could feel himself, starting to return.

The sound of clapping cut through the air, Zay stopped, his eyes opening to see Gloria May standing in the doorway, a smile on her lips, "Good to see you dancing." She crossed to cut the sound system.

"Thanks, I don't know, I just felt it." He ran his hand over his hair, "What are you doing here so late?"

"I just got back into town." She looked down at her hands, "I could either go back to my house, that is empty, and lonely, a reminder of my failed marriage, or I could come here, and see you, and forget."

"What about Eddie, that lawyer guy?"

She stood in front of Zay, "I don't know what that is, I'm scared of what it could be. With you, I know what we are, I understand where we stand."

"What are we?"

"Friends" she tilted her head to the side, "mutually beneficial. I don't expect you to fall in love with me Zay, I don't know if I even want you to. And I know that you don't want me to fall in love with you. We're lost, alone, and the world outside is filled with the unknown."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't want to hurt you either." Gloria May ran her hand over his t-shirt clad chest, "I think what we're doing is better for us then if we're alone."

"I'm not going to marry you."

"I don't want you to." She felt his hands rest on her hips, "If this isn't working we stop doing it, you can go on dates with other woman—who are single, I can date other men."

Zay breathed her in, "So we're mutually beneficial to each other."

"I think neither of us really know what we want out of life, we had dreams and now we're treading water, trying to figure it out, so why not escape in each other?"

He didn't think, he only felt her lips on his as he led them to the stairs of his apartment. He wasn't going to figure out the rest of his life in one night, it would be a long road of discovery, so why not have fun along the way with someone also on the same road?


	42. -dancing in the dark-

_**Author Note: So, here it is, the final chapter of Thunder Chasing The Wind. I want to thank you all for reading this, asking about when this chapter would come. I know I've been secluded in a way the last few months. I'm just taking life one day at a time, through the good, and the bad. XOXOXO—Kat**_

* * *

 **-dancing in the dark-**

Riley reached over in the bed, feeling for her husband's body, yet she found nothing except the cool bedsheets, revealing his absence. Opening her eyes, she allowed them to adjust to the darkness for a moment before she surveyed their bedroom. He had to be around here somewhere, right? She couldn't recall the landline ringing, or either of their cells.

Slipping out of the bed she checked the bathroom, only to find no sign of him there, she went to the hall, seeing a light coming from Zay's room. She slowly pushed the door open, not sure what she would find going on in the middle of the night, only to discover her husband painting the room a pale purple, already having painted one wall a pale yellow. "Mayor Friar, what are you doing?"

He jumped at the sound of her voice, before turning to her, "I haven't been sworn in just yet, but I'm painting the nursery."

"I was sure you'd have the blue paint out." She teased as he crossed to her, a quick kiss on the lips. "I reached for you in bed and you were gone."

"I wanted to surprise you, and get it done without help from our parents. Only chance I had to do it was tonight." He slipped his arms around her holding her close, "But I would much rather be snuggled in bed with you."

"How did I get so lucky?"

"Maya threw you into my lap years ago." He smirked as she playfully slapped him.

"I might as well get up and get things started." Riley yawned, "If I don't your Mom will never let me hear the end of it."

"You get started, I'll finish this up, and then I'll come down and we'll have breakfast before we get invaded by everyone else okay?"

"Sounds wonderful." Riley felt his hand squeeze hers before she left to the kitchen, their first Thanksgiving together, both their families together, treating it more like a wedding reception than a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

The day she stepped foot in Texas she'd been scared, terrified really that everything she felt for him would come rushing back.

It had, but she'd also fallen in love with who he was now, who he'd become during their separation, the years apart made her even more thankful for him and everything they were building together.

As she set the oven to preheat, she could see the morning sun just starting to peek out over the horizon, washing the day in a colorful glow. That summer day she'd never imagined this was how she'd be spending her Thanksgiving, she never could've imagined being pregnant with twins either, but here she was. Married to Lucas Friar, veterinarian, newly elected mayor, the only man to ever make her feel like anything and everything was possible.

She started pulling items from the fridge to wash, prep, when she heard the creak of the stairs signaling that Lucas was on his way down. When she looked up, she could see the mischievous glint in his eye as he moved towards her.

"You know what I realized just now?"

"What?" Her body trembled when he brushed the hair away from her eyes.

"That you and I are the only two in this house right now, that my parents and yours are both safely asleep in their little RVs, my sister is at Deacons, Zay is at his own place, anyone else visiting is stowed away at the guest cabins at the resort."

A smile crossed her lips, "I can't remember the last time we were really alone."

He lifted her up onto the kitchen island, his hands running under her tank top, "We only have a little bit of time before we're not alone anymore, we should take advantage of it." His lips found the sweet spot on her neck.

Riley felt her body arch towards him, desperate for more. She didn't feel sick for the first time in weeks, she could finally enjoy his touch again as she raked her fingers in his hair, "Yes, please, take whatever you want."

Lucas chuckled before his hand fell to her pajama bottoms, coaxing her out of them before his hands ran over her bare legs.

Riley leaned back when she felt his touch, needing as much of him as possible.

Another thing she could be thankful for, just how sturdy Lucas had made the kitchen island.

* * *

Lucas looked at the young man who had led him into his office. Suddenly he was taken back to his middle school days, one when he was forced to sit on a tiny chair and got lectured by a young boy.

Now he was a man, he'd grown tall—almost as tall as Lucas was, and now he stood before him.

Lucas sat in the chair across from his desk as his brother-in-law leaned against it, and for a moment he wasn't sure which of his parents he was channeling, and which one terrified him more.

"Riley is my sister, I am her _only_ brother." Auggie Matthews crossed his arms as he looked at the man his sister had loved for as long as he himself could remember. "Whatever you do, don't hurt my sister."

He couldn't control the chuckle that escaped from his lips, "Auggie, my intentions have never been to hurt her. I love her, I always have. I always will. I married her, we're having children together. I promise you, I'm not going to hurt her."

"Good, because if you do, you'll have to deal with me." Auggie warned, and for a moment Lucas felt a chill rip through his body.

* * *

Rachel pulled the box out of the trunk of her car, starting to stumble when she felt a set of hands on her waist.

"Let me help." the male voice was calm, familiar, a wave of energy shot through her as she looked behind her to see her dear friend, former roommate, and the one person who got her in a way no one else had. "Eric, what, I didn't know you would be here."

He flashed her a smile, "And miss my niches Thanksgiving wedding reception?"

Rachel missed his touch the moment he stepped back. She'd seen him plenty of times over the years, but he was always the same sweetheart he had always been. Occasionally she would wonder what if she'd picked him over Jack, but then they wouldn't be here now. She might not have gone on to become a Doctor, or him the Speaker of the House.

"So, what's in the box?" Eric kept an eye on her as they walked to the porch, preparing to help her up the steps but instead she started to move to the back of the house.

"Gender reveal. Lucas and Riley are anxious to know if they're having girls or boys. We'll right now I'm the only one who knows." She set the box up on the patio table. "When did you get in?"

"Arrived last night with Cory and Topanga." He looked around at the ranch property, "it's beautiful here."

"It's quiet and you're used to the noise of DC."

"Maybe so." He gave her a smile, "So um, I think we've got some apple cider, want some?"

"I would love some." Rachel felt the blush on her cheeks when he smiled at her, as his hand fell to the small of her back as they moved up the back steps and in through the dining room.

* * *

Zay looked around the Wild Z before studying Eddie who sat across the bar from him.

"You don't have to do this you know." Eddie watched as Zay uncapped the pen.

"Yeah I do." He dragged the black ink over the paper as he signed his name, taking a deep breath as he recapped the pen, took the keys out of his pocket and put them on the bar. "I came back to Rosewood Springs, to Texas when my dream died. I need to find a new dream."

Eddie collected the paperwork, removing an envelope and sliding it over to Zay, "Wasn't this bar your dream?"

"I honestly don't know." Zay ran a hand over his hair, "Um listen, the apartment upstairs is furnished, looks really good thanks to Gloria May."

Eddie looked up from his briefcase, "What is it between you?"

"We're friends, never romantic, I'll never look at her the way you do, and she'll never look at me the way she does at you." He leaned against the bar top, "Romance her, take her to dinner, take her on a picnic, fall head over heels in love with her, marry her, have a family, the two of you have it written all over your faces."

"I plan to do all of that." Eddie confessed, "As long as she'll allow me to."

"She will." Zay took in a deep breath, "I'm just going to clear out a few things, I'll see you at the Friars for dinner."

"Yeah, you will." Eddie rose from the stool, "Good luck Zay, with whatever it is you do."

"Thanks, I have a feeling I'm going to need it." Zay went towards the back before turning to Eddie, "You haven't told anyone about this yet, have you?"

"No, the only ones who know about this are the ones who signed these papers."

"Good, thank you."

* * *

"Have you ever seen anything like this?" Bonnie leaned against the entry of the kitchen, hugging a mug of hot apple cider before looking to Topanga.

"Never" Topanga watched as Riley and Lucas moved around the kitchen in perfect synchronization.

The two even moved together to pause from preparing dinner to stop for a quick kiss.

"They're worse than me and Cory." Topanga shook her body before turning away, seeing Eric coming in the dining room doors with Rachel, "Your sister is here."

Bonnie looked away from the kitchen, "She looks rather cozy with your brother-in-law."

"They are old friends." Topanga tilted her head, part of her had always wondered if perhaps Eric had ever given up romantically on Rachel, or if perhaps a part of him had held out for her, yearned for her. It was then she saw the way Rachel laughed at something he said, the way her lips formed a smile.

Bonnie sighed, "I honestly always thought she had a thing for him. Just the way she would talk about him compared to the other guy."

"Jack, yeah, I don't know, Hunter men have a certain charm I suppose." Topanga continued to study her old friends, "How weird is it though that Rachel was our friend in college, and then Lucas and Riley end up together."

"The world works in mysterious ways." Bonnie shrugged as she looked over to see Cory and Grady with their heads together, "What do you think those two are up to?"

"Whatever it is, I don't want to know." Topanga sighed before looking back at the kitchen, "I'm afraid to offer to help, she already snapped at me."

"Yeah, but they want to prove they can do this on their own, so let's not fight it. Besides next year they'll be begging for help when they have two little ones crawling around to keep track of."

"Point taken." Topanga lifted her mug up with a nod before taking another sip.

* * *

Gigi stood outside the barn, taking a moment to collect herself before she opened the door and stepped in. He was exactly where she thought he would be, sitting on a bale of hay, looking out at the property just as he did whenever he needed to think. "You know the party is inside, right?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to get a real good look at this place." Zay kept his gaze forward.

Gigi sat next to him, "You make it sound like you're leaving."

He turned to her, those green eyes of her filled with a hope he could never fulfill, "I am," He watched as her eyes turned murky, "I'm leaving Rosewood Springs, I um, I realized that I need to figure some stuff out, and Texas as a whole has been holding me back."

"Is this because I chose Deacon over you?"

"It's that I even made it be a choice you had to make." Zay pushed himself to his feet with a sigh, "I've been here for so long Gi, it's like one long pause on my life. I didn't know what to do, where to go after my injury. I've been shuffling along, waiting, anticipating that life would provide me with the answers. I could never give you what you wanted from me, because Zay in Rosewood Springs, isn't the man I'm meant to be. I think deep down you knew that, in a way you pushed me to discover that, pushed me to discover who I am. I don't think I've known for a very long time who that was. I'm not Zay the dancer, I was Zay the owner of the Wild Z."

"You sold the bar?" Gigi couldn't believe it, who would buy the bar, why would he sell it?

"Yeah, I sold it. I'm leaving town, I'm leaving Texas. I'm going to travel for a while, see if I can find a place where I fit and finally feel like me again."

"Lucas doesn't know yet, does he?"

"No, not yet, I'm going to tell him tonight, before I leave, before he can talk me out of it." He sat beside Gigi and took her hand, "You are going to have an amazing life with Deacon, he loves you more than I ever could. Just please, I am begging you don't lose yourself and sabotage everything good in your life."

Gigi leaned over, her lips gently planting a kiss on his cheek, "I promise, just be safe Zay."

"I will" He closed his eyes, trying to remember the feel of her lips on him.

She stood up, brushing the hay from her skirt, "Who did you sell the bar to?"

Zay smirked, "Oh, that's a great story."

* * *

"You haven't told Topanga, have you?" Grady watched as Cory lifted a load of wood into the firepit.

Cory shrugged, "Not exactly, I mean we've discussed it before, she knows it's coming."

"But was she expecting it before becoming a grandmother?"

"Probably not," Cory looked around him at the perfectly landscaped backyard that Lucas had created, "You think she's not thinking about it? Besides, it's a new adventure, and I want to watch my grandchildren grow up."

"Yeah but this? Do Lucas and Riley know about it?" Grady started to arrange the wood in the firepit.

"I haven't told them, I have to tell Topanga first." Cory turned back to Grady, "This is going to be good for all of us."

Grady chuckled, "Why do I feel like we're both going to get chewed out by our wives for this?"

"Why would you get chewed out for this?"

"Because I knew about it, and Bonnie is going to raise hell over this—that's just the way she is."

"Maybe she'll be distracted by planning Gigi's wedding."

"We can only hope, but you know once that wedding is done she's going to be all about being Grandmother of the year."

"Yeah, but she'll be up against Topanga and she's not going to just roll over and let Bonnie take that title."

Grady sighed before sitting in on the bench, "You realize your daughter isn't going to put up with this right?"

"If Riley could control anything, don't you think she would've at this point? In all reality she can put her foot down when she needs to." Cory reminded her.

Grady nodded, "So are we getting Grandson's or Granddaughter's?"

Cory smirked, "I think he's going to need a bucket for all the shoes."

"Yeah do you know how many pairs of shoes I had to buy for that boy?" Grady shook his head.

"Yeah, that was every time I caught him in Riley's room." Cory chuckled.

"I think it might be boys."

"Want to make a wager?"

'Okay, what are you thinking?"

"If I'm right you partner with me."

"And if I'm right?" Grady rubbed his hands together as a smile crossed his lips, "I get to be Grandpa, and you have to be Grampy."

"Deal." Cory put his hand out for them to shake.

* * *

The meal had been devoured over stories of the early years of Riley and Lucas' courtship, which led to stories about Cory and Topanga, as well as Bonnie and Grady respectfully.

Topanga and Bonnie set up a champagne toast on the back patio, the fire pit was a blaze as everyone gathered around the box that Rachel had brought with her.

"Are you sure you want to know this?" Riley's eyes studied Lucas as a smile crossed his lips.

"I'm feeling good." He couldn't let her know that his confidence about it being boys was faltering.

She leaned in close to him, "You're nervous."

"Am not."

"Yes, you are, I can see it in your eyes." She squeezed his hand, "Whatever color the balloons maybe you are going to be an amazing father."

"You are blinded by love and hormones."

"Your fault on both counts." She smirked.

"It takes two to tango." He teased just before Cory put his arms around him and Riley.

"Okay you two, time for the big reveal."

Panic rose through Lucas, "He knows, what do you know?"

"I know nothing." He hissed.

"Wait, did Cory admit to not knowing something?" Eric called from across the patio.

"Hush you" Cory glared at his brother while Zay chuckled off to the side knowing he would miss moments like this.

"Can we do this already?" Riley's voice shaking as her eyes landed on the box.

"Yes, I want to know if its nieces or nephews." Auggie called out.

Everyone laughed as Riley and Lucas moved towards the box. The air felt thick and smoky as excited energy wrapped around them.

"Okay here we go." Riley's words were soft, just for Lucas as they put their hands on the lid.

Everyone grew silent as they pulled the lid off, the pink balloons floating out with two Mylar balloons proudly saying, "It's a girl" rose, the bundle highlighted by the glow of the Texas sunset.

Lucas was white as the color drained from his face. Eddie and Deacon catching him just in time before he could crash on the concrete patio.

"Yes!" Cory cheered, breaking the silence as Riley checked that her husband was okay.

"What are you hollering about?" Topanga stared at her husband in disbelief.

"I'm really excited to have granddaughters."

"What bet did you make?" her eyes drilled into his.

"Nothing" panic squeaked in his voice before he ran off into the fields with no one even chasing after him.

Lucas opened his eyes, the sunset glow behind Riley in front of his eyes. He was silent for a moment as he soaked in her ethereal image, "Girls?"

"Yes, girls, you okay cowboy?"

Lucas started to stand before getting dizzy again, Zay helping to catch him. "I will be."

"You'll be fine, no one is going to mess with the Friar girls." Zay snickered.

"Yeah, don't worry Big Brother, most guys in town were terrified of you and that's why I only dated Tyler in high school. These girls, also have a scary mother watching out for them."

"Hey now!" Riley stared at her sister-in-law, "What do you mean by that?"

Gigi held her hands up as she backed away slowly, "Just that this year's bake-off will live on for years to come, no one is going to mess with Mrs. Friar and her girls."

* * *

"You know, I remember the first time I heard Dad freak out about Lucas," Auggie walked into the kitchen where Riley was setting up desserts, "It was like he knew that you found your other half."

Riley looked over to her brother, "What ever happened with you and Ava?"

Auggie looked at the spread his sister created, "We ran our course, she was never the one like Mom feared."

"You've found someone one, haven't you?"

"Jenny Lewis, she was in my class growing up." Auggie blushed, "I ran into her a few months ago, and we just sparked. Don't tell mom, but we're moving in together."

Riley's eyes went wide, "No way, really?"

"Yeah, we're looking for a place in the New Year, I'm not going to run off and elope in the Grand Canyon or anything." He teased.

Riley put one final desert down, the chocolate cherry cake, "Could you imagine trying to plan a wedding with Bonnie and Mom? Besides, I got my dream wedding, and my dream man."

"Remember that, when your daughters get engaged." Auggie smirked, "I can't wait for Dad to react to that one day."

Riley tossed a dishtowel at her brother, "Hey at least he'll be in New York with you. Aug, you know you can't hide Jenny forever, right?"

"I know, but I have to find the right way to introduce her to Mom."

"Bring her by the bakery, just coffee on a Saturday afternoon, all you need to do is make it simple. Don't over think it, and don't stress her out about Mom."

"Good point." He nodded, twisting the dishtowel in his hands, "When you saw Lucas again, when did you know?"

"That he was the one?"

Auggie nodded.

"Part of me knew the second I saw him, but it was actually when he took my engagement ring off because I was having an allergic reaction, I knew, in my soul that the only man ever meant to put a ring on this finger was him."

Auggie chuckled, "And you fought it didn't you."

"Not very well, especially since the next day I kissed him in the church, claiming him as mine for the whole town to see." Riley shook her head at the memory, the moment of jealousy had coursed through her.

"He's a good man, he loves you. He has always loved you." Auggie looked up at Riley, "When you guys were in middle school, after you all got back from that disastrous Texas trip, I knew. I warned him not to hurt you, and I saw him struggle for months to do what he _thought_ you wanted him to do. I'm glad you two finally figured this all our Riles, I can't wait to be an Uncle, and I know you and Lucas are going to have a lifetime of happiness ahead of you."

Riley felt the tears burning her eyes before she pulled her baby brother who now towered over her in for a hug, "You are the best little brother in the world, you know that? And these girls are going to be so very lucky to have you as an Uncle. And if Jenny Lewis is as amazing as you think, I can't wait to welcome her into this weird, wild family. "

"Thank you, you're the best big sister I could've ever had. You're going to be an amazing Mom to these girls."

* * *

Lucas was sitting on the front porch, wrapping his mind around the reveal. Girls, he and Riley were going to have little girls.

"Here, I figure you might need this." Zay handed him the glass of whiskey before setting the bottle down next to him as he sat on the front step next to his best friend.

Lucas took a long sip before releasing a sigh, "Girls Zay, girls. You're going to love watching this."

Zay swirled the whiskey in his glass, watching the amber liquid for a moment before he took a sip, "I'm not going to be around for it, at least not for a while."

"What do you mean?"

"I have to go find myself." He continued to swirl his drink, "You're married to the love of your life, you're going to be a Dad, you're the new Mayor, I think my purpose here is done."

"What about the Wild Z, that was your dream."

"Not really, it was a little, it was something, but never my dream. I'll never have my dream, I won't be a star on Broadway, or a pro on Dancing with The Stars, I'm not sure what it is I want, and I need to find that. Everything I've been doing the last few months, has been me trying to realize that."

"Where are you going to go?" Lucas studied his friend, how was he going to survive without him?

"New York for a little bit, and then I'll see where I go, what I do. I'll be back, I gotta see those beautiful girls you're going to have."

"Zay, I can't take on the Wild Z myself now." Lucas hoped this would get him to stay.

Zay sucked in his lips for a moment before he looked back to Lucas, "I sold my half of the bar this morning."

"To who, Gloria May?"

The smirk crossed over Zay's lips, "Your Father-in-Law."

Lucas blinked not once, not twice, but several times. "What did you say?"

Zay slowly rose from the steps, "Cory, he bought the Wild Z. Eddie handled the whole thing. I'm leaving town tonight. And, um, yeah, you're now partners with your father-in-law in the bar."

"What the hell were you thinking Zay?"

"I was thinking that he paid me more than what the bar is worth, and I was hoping you wouldn't find out until I had left town."

"Topanga!" Lucas' voice echoed through the first floor as Zay's eyes went wide.

The front door opened with his Mother in-law, Wife, and Gloria May looking at them, "What's going on?"

"Cory bought Zay's half of the bar, why didn't you warn me?"

Topanga took a moment, "Cory Matthews, you bought a bar?"

Riley came over to them, "Why would you sell my father the bar?"

Zay could see a mixture of anger and sadness on Riley, "Well Cotton Candy Face, I have to figure out who I am. Actually, you kind of told me to do this, so I'm doing it."

"I didn't say sell the bar to my Dad." Riley paused for a moment, "Wait, who the hell is going to run it? Dad!"

Lucas watched as he and Zay were left alone on the porch, "You're leaving us with both our parents around. We're never going to survive."

Zay chuckled, "The parents will balance each other out. Besides I know you two are building guest houses for them so they're close but not in the house."

"What are you even going to do in New York?"

"Help Farkle out with his campaign, bug Maya, annoy the shit out of Charlie and Corn Chip Dave."

"That I can get behind." Lucas sighed, "And then what?"

"I'll figure it out, that's what this is about Lucas."

Lucas made a fist, pounding the column of the porch, "I don't know how to do this adult thing without you."

"Yes, you do, you've got Riley. I won't stay away forever, I promise." Zay looked around the ranch, "I'll be back, I have to see you deal with the daughters."

"Girls, see you have to come back."

"I will, but I have to leave for a while."

Lucas shook his head, "You'll always have a place to stay here, you know, that right?"

"Oh yeah, I know. Even when you and Riley have this house filled with half a dozen kids."

"Let's survive this pregnancy first before we think about four more."

"Okay deal."

* * *

Riley rubbed her forehead after she put her toothbrush away, feeling her husband come up behind her. "This was not the way I expected today to go."

"You knew it was girls all along." Lucas teased as his hands splayed over her growing abdomen.

She swatted them away, "Not that, the whole thing with my Dad buying the Wild Z, what the hell is he thinking?"

"That he wants to be around to see me trying to handle girls. He thinks it's going to be entertaining." Lucas watched as Riley moved to the bed. "I was thinking about names, what do you think about Alexis, or Calliope?"

"No" Riley scrunched her face up, "they don't go together."

"How cutesy do you want to get with their names?" He pulled the sheets back on his side of the bed.

"They don't have to be cutesy, or anything like Rose and Lily, but they should fit in a way that sounds good." She got into bed, "Calliope, really?"

"What's wrong, it's a pretty name." Lucas sighed, "Okay, Gabriella?"

"Lucas we don't have to come up with names right now, we still have a few months." She reminded him as she tried to get comfortable.

"Jacqueline, Molly?"

"Lucas, write them down. I'll veto them in the morning."

"Josephine, Harper?"

Riley sat up, taking a pillow in her hand before batting her husband with it, "Go to sleep."

"Peggy and Sharon?" He held the pillow a mischievous smile on his lips as he studied his wife.

"Go to sleep."

"Cora, Persephone?"

Riley rubbed her forehead, "I love you, but I am exhausted. We have lots of time to think up names." She paused, "And for someone who thought we were having boys until those pink balloons came out of that box you sure have a lot of girl names rolling off your tongue."

"Kimberly, Amelia?" He smiled as he leaned over her kissing her, "I'm inspired now."

Riley felt her body melt into him as he settled over her, "We'll start looking up names tomorrow."

"Okay" he began to kiss her neck. "I'm thankful for you, our life, our future."

"You sure you're up for this?"

"Very sure" he kissed her deeply, feeling her body arching into his as they stripped each other of their pajamas, slowly making love.

* * *

Riley sat on the front porch, it was late, the sky was filled with stars, she had a blanket wrapped around her body. She could hear the creak of the door open, she didn't need to turn around to know it was her husband joining her.

Lucas wrapped his arms around her from behind, breathing in the scent of her hair, "I was so mad at Zay when he brought you here, but it was the smartest thing he's probably done in years."

Riley chuckled, "I was livid at him." She confessed as she relaxed in his arms before he twirled her to face him. "Lucas, what are you doing."

"Well," he pulled her close to him, "Technically today was our wedding reception, right? I haven't danced with my wife yet."

She felt him lead her around to no music, until a moment later she realized he was humming their song, _Perfect_. She felt a chill as he danced her around on the porch. "I was terrified that day I stepped out of my car and realized I was here, at your house. I wanted to get out of here as quickly as I could."

"I wanted you out of here as quickly as possible." He confessed, "I saw you, and I knew I was in trouble. I tried to pretend it was lust, but when I was helping you with that allergic reaction, I knew my heart was the problem."

"We grew into the people we needed to be so we could be together."

"And look at us now, married, with babies on the way, and I'm in business with your father."

Riley chuckled, "I am livid at Zay for that."

"I think right now, he's more worried about the wrath of your Mom, than anyone else."

"Yeah, probably." She kissed her husband with a quick peck, "Time to get back to bed."

"Thank you for our dance, it was perfect." He smirked.

"You are cheesy, has anyone ever told you that Lucas?"

"Maybe once or twice." He chuckled before leading her back into the house.

Down the driveway Zay sat in his truck, watching his two old friends have their dance on the porch. A proud smile on his face, "My work here is done, New York City, what will you have in store for me?"

He turned the engine on, brought his headlights up, and pulled out of the driveway, knowing it wouldn't be the last time he was at the ranch in Rosewood Springs, but that it would be a while before he saw it again. He waved farewell, even though he knew his friends were in bed, but it brought him a comfort as he drove into the night, an uncertain future ahead of him.


End file.
